Maybe I Don't Hate You
by NiceSprite
Summary: Since her very first day at Hogwarts, Rose Weasley had been told not to associate with Scorpius Malfoy. And now that they were in their 6th year, they still hated each other just fine. But then, her best friend and cousin Albus Potter suddenly began to hang out with their archenemy. Great. - Scorose, OCxOC and some AlbusxOC
1. Chapter 1

xxxxx

**Maybe I Don't Hate You.**

xxxxx

**Summary:** Since her very first day at Hogwarts, Rose Weasley had been told not to associate with Scorpius Malfoy. And now that they were in their 6th year, they still hated each other just fine. But then, her best friend and cousin Albus Potter suddenly began to hang out with their archenemy. Great.

**A/N:** So this is, obviously, a NextGen HP fanfiction, so of course I had to imagine myself how the characters could be like only according to a few lines of clues we were given, but I'll still try to remain as faithful as possible to the original universe, and I hope my characterization of the next generation won't seem wrong to you.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything. Harry Potter's whole universe belongs to J.K. Rowling.

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**Chapter 1:**

A young girl with long wavy red hair and blue eyes was looking in every compartment of the train, obviously looking for something. Along with her was a boy who was just a little taller than her. He had mid length untidy dark hair, green eyes, and a thin stature and face.

Those two were respectively Rose Weasley and Albus Potter, and they were in the Hogwarts Express, searching for a compartment to stay in.

"I swear I saw Lena hop in the train before us. She must be in one of them," Rose exclaimed, looking through the nth compartment window, and finally found her, "Ah, see, she's here!"

Inside the compartment was a girl around their age, reading a book. She was about the same height as Rose, had a fair skin, blue eyes and long brown hair she often tied in a high ponytail.

"I didn't say anything you know," Albus commented even though he knew her cousin wasn't listening to him. She'd already opened the door, greeting her best friend.

"Hey Lena, how are you?" She beamed at her. Lena Reynolds was a sixth year student, and belonged to the House Gryffindor, just like Rose and Albus. Rose and Lena met each other on their first night of school as their beds were next to each other, they immediately hit it off and have been best friends ever since.

Lena put her book down, happily surprised to see her friends, "Rose, hi! I'm great, it's good to see you two, we didn't get to see each other much during the holidays." She smiled back as Rose sat next to her and Albus across them. She turned her head and greeted him too, "Hey Al'"

"Hey Lena," He greeted back with a smile.

"Sorry about that, but you know how we're always busy on summer holidays, since like half our family is born during the summer. And you know that makes a lot of people," Rose apologized to her friend.

"Don't worry I know, I'm used to it now. But usually we manage to meet at least a few times. The point is, I missed you so much!" She hugged Rose tightly.

"And you didn't miss me?" Albus feigned being offended.

Lena looked at him and smiled playfully, "What, do you want a hug too?"

"No thanks, I like to be able to breathe," he retorted, watching Rose's condition after the said hug.

"Don't be a pussy!" She hugged – or more attacked – him too.

He was struggling and barely managed to say, "Stop it, Lena!"

She went back to her seat and smiled in victory, "Hey, you're the one who asked for it. By the way, shouldn't you two go in the prefects' compartment?" She realized.

"And not do the trip with you even after not seeing you for months?" Rose asked rhetorically.

Lena smiled brightly, "You're so adorable! Thank you so much, to be honest, I wasn't really looking forward to doing the whole trip alone with Peter. Last year was enough. That's why I took this with me," she showed them her book.

"_And then there were none_ by Agatha Christie," Albus read out loud. "What does it talk about?"

"Oh, I read this one," Rose said, "It's a Muggle mystery novel. I loved it, too."

"Don't say anything! I'm only at the second chapter. Anyway, I don't need this anymore since you're here to keep me company," she smiled while putting the book aside.

"By the way, Peter's still not there?" Albus asked just before someone opened abruptly their compartment door.

"I made it," the boy was totally out of breath. He slowly closed the door and slumped on the couch, next to Albus.

"Well, hello to you too, Peter," Rose remarked, her eyebrow raised and her arms crossed.

"Yeah, right, hey guys," He replied, slightly waving his hand at them.

Meet Peter Crawford, Albus' best friend also since their first year at Hogwarts. He wasn't really tall, but not small either, he had brown hair and brown eyes, and a cute face too. He'd probably be popular, if only he didn't talk or move. You see, Peter's also kind of known as the clown of Gryffindor as he often makes a fool out of himself and doesn't even really care.

Albus looked at him and chuckled, "You know, after six years, people would think you would know how to avoid being late for the train."

"I wanted to be on time and not have to run, but my body didn't agree with this plan and made me oversleep."

"As always," the three other teenagers concluded in unison, shaking their heads.

"At least I never miss it, it's already something."

"And you are right to be proud of that," Lena mocked, the other two laughed.

Someone then knocked, "Anything from the trolley, dears?"

"Perfect timing. Yes, I'll take some chocolate frogs, they're good for energy," Peter said.

They each bought some candies, and the lady was about to close the door when a boy's voice came from behind her, saying, "Well, if this isn't the people I absolutely didn't miss during the holidays. And the whole gang's there."

Here was Scorpius Malfoy, harboring his famous smirk, the one he inherited from his father. No need to say it wasn't the only thing he'd inherited from him: he had his hair, his eyes, his arrogance, his wits, the same Slytherin emblem on his cloak, and of course, the same... let's say _unfriendly_ behavior towards anyone who would have Weasley or Potter as their last name. He was also a prefect, just like Albus and Rose. Though, if you asked the two cousins, they wouldn't be able to tell you why he had been chosen as one.

"Really? Because we absolutely missed you and your remarks, so much that sometimes I dreamed about it. Oh wait, those were nightmares," Rose retorted.

"Oh, Rose Weasley thinking so much about me it invades her dreams, I'm honored," Malfoy placed his right hand on his chest.

"I believe she said _nightmares_," Albus defended his cousin.

"Same difference. I torment her nights, that's enough for me," he smirked again.

"You wish," Rose scoffed.

"I'm sorry but, unlike you, I don't have the time nor the desire to think about anything involving you, Weasley," he responded acidly.

"Then why do you waste your time talking to us, huh?" Lena said coldly, tired of hearing him talking to her friends like that.

"I don't even know why. Thank you for reminding me, Reynolds, it seems you can be of use at times," he agreed and looked respectively at the boys, "Crawfish, Potty. I reckon we'll meet again soon," before switching his attention back to Rose, "And I know it'd be hard for you, Weasley, but try not to dream too much about me, it creeps me out to be honest." And without giving them the time to say a word, he left.

"He's so _infuriating_," Albus fumed.

Rose shrugged, "That's Malfoy for you. At least he had the decency to close our door."

"Yeah, give that boy a prize for showing an ounce of good manners," Lena concluded sardonically.

"Crawfish, seriously? It's a bad pun and not even true, my face never turns red!" Peter complained loudly.

"Since when Malfoy's insults are good or even true, huh?" Albus said.

"Right, but still. After all this time he could come up with better ones." Peter commented.

The others just shrugged and began to eat their candies, forgetting about that unpleasant encounter.

xxxxx

"So, on today's class, we'll learn a spell that will allow you to imprison something," Professor Hoddes, the Transfiguration teacher began to explain. He took out a bird from his cage and said, "You just have to point at the creature and say in-_car_-si-fors." And a perfectly adjusted cage appeared around the bird. "Come on, who wants to give it a try? But for now only on objects, it can be dangerous for the animal if the adjustment isn't done well." He looked around, "Miss Weasley, would you?"

She smiled, "Of course." She pointed at her Transfiguration book and said the incantation. It worked flawlessly.

"Well done, Miss Weasley," he congratulated her.

"Thank you," she beamed proudly. Even though she did well it all her classes, her favorite was the Transfiguration class and she was always more pleased to do a transfiguration spell right than any others.

"Thank you," Malfoy grossly imitated her in a high-pitched voice. "First class of the year and already licking the teacher's boots. She conjured up a cage for a _book_, what an achievement indeed." The other Slytherins next to him snickered.

"Then, try and do the spell, Malfoy! We'll see if it's as easy as you say," Peter stood up and dared him.

Malfoy's smirk flattered slightly at Peter's provocation – he looked really pissed and uneasy for about a nanosecond – but it came back quickly, "No problem, but let's make it more challenging then," he quickly pointed his wand at Peter and said the incantation. An immense cage appeared all around the Gryffindor boy, who was now raging.

At the sight of his friend like that, Albus saw red and immediately stood up even before Professor Hoddes could react, pointed his wand at Malfoy, and exclaimed, "Melofors!"

A pumpkin was now encircling Scorpius' head, who was struggling in order to get it off.

"ENOUGH!" The professor yelled, before making the cage and the pumpkin disappear. "Mr. Malfoy! This is madness, what if the cage you made was too small, Mr. Crawford could have been really hurt. And Mr. Potter, I am disappointed in you, I didn't think you would stoop to using such low tricks. That would be 25 points from Slytherin and 15 from Gryffindor. And detention for both of you."

Albus sat again, looking a little guilty for losing his temper. But still, that ferret had totally deserved it.

"I've always loved taking class with the Slytherins, they're real peaches," Rose, who was sitting next to him, muttered with a sigh.

Albus couldn't help but chuckle at her remark.

"Miss Weasley, I don't think it is proper of you to make jokes and encourage Mr. Potter in his actions. 5 more points from Gryffindor."

"But I didn't say anyth–" She tried to protest.

"Enough, I said! One more word and you'll get detention, too."

Once Mr. Hoddes turned around and wasn't paying much attention, Malfoy taunted, "Good luck in getting in his good books now."

"Oh, shut up Malfoy," Rose blurted angrily. But maybe a little too loudly.

"Miss Weasley, that's it. I'm sorry, but you'll have a detention too."

"Great," she was fuming. All of this was because of that prick. But she didn't say anything for the rest of the class, afraid of getting sanctioned again. Mr. Hoddes did seem on edge today, and she just paid the penalty of it.

xxxxx

"I would so strangle that prick if I could," Peter raged in the dorms.

"I am so disappointed to have missed Pumpkin Malfoy," Lena said.

"I am so gonna make him pay for that," Albus added.

"You are so going to do nothing about it. We just both had a detention because we responded to his taunting, remember?" Rose rebuked.

"I don't even get why we had the same sanction as him. I mean, yes I went overboard and lost my temper in class, but Malfoy could have freakin' _killed_ Peter!"

"Come on, he wouldn't have done it if he wasn't sure it'd work. Even though it's hard to admit, he _is_ one of the best students of our year," Rose tried to calm his cousin down. "He probably already did that spell before."

"I wouldn't be so sure. I think he may have been overconfident about it, but didn't care if it'd work or not," Albus argued.

"Come on, Al', he's a total prick, but he's not completely out of his mind," the girl insisted.

"Why are you even defending him? You just got a detention because of him. You. On your first Transfiguration class of the year."

"I'm not defending him, I'm talking some sense into you so you won't attack him again and get another detention," Rose retorted.

Peter and Lena just watched them arguing, shaking their heads.

"And here I am, the main victim, and nobody cares about me," the boy complained.

"Oh, I care," Lena put her hand on his shoulder in a comforting way.

"Thank you," he smiled at her, touched.

"For once you're not the reason of your looking like a fool in front of everyone. That's progress, believe me," she went on, now smirking.

Peter's eyes widened at the realization of this betrayal, "You're even worse than them, Lena! It's not fair. Al' was telling the truth, I really could have died!"

"Come on, you're overreacting," she laughed.

"Fine, I could've been really badly hurt! But I get it, nobody gives a crap about it. Feels good to have friends, indeed." He was now pouting.

"Of course we give a crap, Peter. Me giving a crap is the reason of my detention, remember?" Albus suddenly intervened, apparently finished arguing with his cousin.

After a moment of reflection, Peter finally smiled and replied, "Right, thanks, mate!"

xxxxx

"At least our detention is with Hagrid. We probably won't get bored," Albus commented as he was walking with Rose and Scorpius.

"Yeah right, he'll make us go into the Forbidden Forest, I'm sure of it. Of course we won't get bored, we'll be too busy running for our lives," Scorpius retorted, obviously not sharing his enthusiasm.

"Hagrid will be with us, there should be no problem," Rose told him before smirking, "But I guess it doesn't mean much for a scaredy-cat like you."

"I am not a scaredy-cat. I'm just talking from experience. It is not called the Forbidden Forest for nothing, I never understood why they still make students go in there when they named it like that."

"You say that, but all I hear is 'I'm scared, mommy help meee!' just like you did once," Rose mocked.

"Come on, enough with that story! It was in first year and that was because a forest troll was chasing me in that bloody forest! And I certainly did _not_ scream that! You weren't even there, you only repeat what people say," Scorpius defended himself. "When a creature will attack you and you will be the one screaming, don't wait for me to save you, Weasley," he scoffed.

"As if I'd ever expect _you_ to help me. I'd rather trust a troll."

"Nobody will be in danger. And if something really happens, Hagrid will help us. And Malfoy, stop being a wimp. We're here anyway so you don't really have a choice," Albus concluded once they were in front of the door.

"I am not a wimp and you better not call me that again or…" Malfoy stopped when he noticed they weren't listening to him anymore, already busy greeting their big friend.

"Albus, Rose! Nice ter see yeh two! I was glad ter hear yeh'll serve yer detention with me. Well, not glad yeh have detention o' course, but glad ter see yeh," he happily welcomed them with a slight hug.

"We're happy to see you too," Albus said as they smiled back at him.

Then, Hagrid finally took notice of Scorpius' presence, "Oh Scorpius, right, yeh're here too."

Of course he didn't show the same enthusiasm for him. He didn't mind the boy, but he didn't particularly like him, either. He was less arrogant and less wary of magical creatures than his father (from what Hagrid could see during his Care of Magical Creatures class), but he still had his way to find some annoying comments to say.

"Please don't be so enthusiastic, it makes me uncomfortable," the boy deadpanned. "So, what do we have to do? Let's do it quickly so I can go sleep," he added with his arms crossed in a condescending manner.

Yep, that was the kind of behavior that made Hagrid not like him very much.

"Tonight, yeh'll help me feed some friends o' mine. It'll be fun, I promise," he was really looking forward to showing them his friends.

"What kind of friends?" Rose inquired.

"Yeh'll see. But don' worry they're not dangerous as long as yeh're gentle with 'em. If yeh're like yer parents, there shouldn' be any problem," He assured the two Gryffindor teenagers, and then looked at Scorpius, "I hope yeh're not like yer father, though. He doesn' have a good history with their kind."

With that he left them a moment to get something. When he came back, he handed them buckets full of dead birds and other little mammals, "Here, take two buckets each. They shouldn' be too heavy."

"And that is why I had a bad feeling about this. Why do I have to carry dead animals?" The boy said with a disgusted expression on his face.

"Stop complaining all the time," Rose preached as they were heading towards the Forbidden Forest, "This is your fault we're here in the first place."

"If you think about it, it's that clowny friend of yours' fault because he provoked me, and he didn't even get a detention."

"If you think about it, it's your fault for making him want to provoke you," Rose retorted.

"Why did he even have to stand up anyway, I wasn't talking about him, but about you," Scorpius was getting angrier.

"I don't know, maybe because you were being a prick and insulting his friend," she responded, "But I I shouldn't expect you to understand the notions of friendship and loyalty."

"Children, stop it, yeh'll irritate the animals," Hagrid warned them.

Both scoffed at the other.

While walking, Albus approached Rose and whispered jokingly to her, "So much for not fighting with Malfoy, huh?"

"I didn't say anything about arguments without physical violence," Rose replied.

Hagrid halted, "That's the place." He whistled, as if he was calling a dog, and a dozen of hippogriffs popped out from the woods.

"Your friends are hippogriffs?" Scorpius exclaimed before making a face, "Why am I even surprised? But now I understand why you said my father's got a bad history with them."

"Be careful when yeh approach them, they aren' used ter seein' that much people so they're a lil' shy. You don' have ter get too close ter feed 'em anyway, so it should be okay."

"They're beautiful," Rose commented, advancing really slowly.

"Rose don'," Hagrid began, worried, but stopped after seeing she knew what she was doing. She was bowing to the grey and slender hippogriff that was the closer to her. But its stature, it was probably a female.

"Don't worry, my mother told me about hippogriffs, I believe I can get close to one," she explained softly, waiting for the hippogriff to bow in return, and that's what it did. She smiled and got slowly closer to it, until she could caress his head.

"I'm impressed Rose, Becky isn' usually good with humans."

"So, your name is Becky, huh?" She asked the animal with a gentle smile.

Becky made a small sound, as if she was agreeing.

Rose laughed and threw a bird at her, which she happily caught in her beak.

Hagrid clapped his hands together, "Okay, now it's yer turn boys, yeh don' have to go as close as Rose, just throw the food at 'em."

"If Weasley can do it, I can do it too," Scorpius protested, already moving towards another hippogriff, an inky black one.

"Scorpius, don', they're really prideful creatures, yeh don' wanna get 'em in a bad mood!" Hagrid warned him.

"I know, my dad told me about it, don't worry I won't get injured unnecessarily," the boy assured, as he slowly bowed to the animal, smiling in victory when the bow was returned to him.

He remembered very well how he heard about this story. His mother was teasing his father about it one time, when he was about 7.

"_You know, your father acts all tough now, but there are stories about him that don't tell the same thing. One time, he was slightly hit by a hippogriff and wept like a little baby," Astoria mocked, pointing Draco with her thumb while looking at her son._

"_Eeh, seriously?" Scorpius couldn't believe it. He'd always pictured his father as strong and courageous._

"_Hey, don't tell him things like that! And for your information, I really was badly hurt, I had to be taken to the hospital and all," Draco tried to defend himself._

_His wife crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow while smiling, "That was your own fault, offending a hippogriff right at its beak." _

_Draco sighed, "You're right. I wasn't really smart back then, but I genuinely thought that thing couldn't really understand a thing I was saying. Guess I was wrong," he then looked at his son, "Scorpius, never, ever insult a hippogriff. I mean it, those things are smarter than they look, and definitely as proud as they look." _

Scorpius smiled at the memory. His father could be strict and cold, but he could also show good sides of him, especially to his wife and son.

After cautiously making a few steps towards the magical creature, Scorpius' hand reached its head.

"Eh, yeh're quite good too, Salamander seems to like yeh. Good job!" Hagrid acknowledged.

Albus looked at his professor and friend, "Can I try, too?"

The adult smiled, "'Course, go on. Try with Spicytail over there," he pointed at one that had chestnut feathers, with some red in it.

Albus succeeded too. Seeing how each teenager respectively gained the trust of one of their kind, the other hippogriffs approached too, and accepted being fed by them.

"See, told yeh it'd be ok," Hagrid happily exclaimed while throwing some food.

"I have to admit, this detention isn't as unpleasant as I'd thought it would be," Scorpius said while petting Salamander.

"Wow, Malfoy actually admitting something and not complaining, that's a first," Rose declared.

"Well, it _is_ the first time I come here without getting attacked by something, you know. And I only complain when there's something to complain about. It's just it happen a lot more when you're around, Weasley. Weird, huh?"

"Come on, I should be the one complaining when you're around me," she retorted.

"Guys, let's not break the mood and be civil with each other, ok?" Albus said.

"Albus is righ'. The hippogriffs sense anger and they migh' become agitated if this go on," Hagrid added.

"Fine," both said without much conviction.

Once every hippogriff was fed, Hagrid said, "Let's go find the others now."

"There are more of them?"

"Yeah, some are missin', but they must be close."

"But this forest is giant, it'll take forever to find them," Albus commented.

"If they're not here, they mus' be drinkin' some water at the river, and they usually go ter only two different places. So, let's split up and it'll be even faster. Rose, yeh come with me, Albus an' Scorpius, yeh take the other way."

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"Come on, we've been walking for 10 minutes, and I still don't see a river anywhere," Malfoy said.

"It must be close, now," Albus was also trying to convince himself.

"I hope, 'cause I still don't like staying too long in that forest," Scorpius added, looking all around him, waiting for something to jump on him anytime soon.

Albus, who was walking in front of him, stopped and turned around, "Come on, stop being so scared, we'll hear it if something comes at us."

Suddenly, the Slytherin boy's eyes widened in fear and he slowly pointed his finger over Albus' head, "I bet you didn't hear _that_ coming."

"What?" the young Potter asked before looking over him, and he saw an acromantula getting closer to him. "Okay, let's stay calm, and it probably won't attack us," he said warily and very quietly, while trying to slowly move away from it.

But then, the big spider made its move at once and jumped on him. Thankfully, Albus had had the time to take out his wand and use it against it, so the acromantula was thrown a few meters away.

"We're lucky it wasn't too big, it must be a baby," Albus reasoned.

"But if a baby is here, that must mean…" Scorpius began to say as they were looking at each other, realizing what it meant.

They heard branches crack, turned their head and exclaimed at the same time, "that the parents aren't far away!" And they began to run for their lives, while still managing to hex the arachnids. But since they were much bigger than the first one – and very pissed on top of that – they were having a really hard time trying to get rid of them.

After a lot of running, hexing, and running again, they finally managed to shake them off.

Once they were certain the creatures wouldn't come back, Scorpius let himself fall on the ground, "See, going in the Forbidden Forest, never a good idea," he concluded, still out of breath.

Albus was still standing up but holding his hip with one hand, "For once, I agree with you, Malfoy." Then he looked at his right, and smiled, "Hey, at least we found the river." They were on the top of a cliff and the river was at the bottom of it.

Scorpius stood up, "Really? Maybe we misunderstood the acromantulas, they were just trying to show us the right way. Remind me to thank them next time," he joked.

"Yeah, well then, let's hope we don't need their help again," Albus said. "Anyway, let's go, I think this is the way down." He began to walk again, but a little too close to the edge, and it seemed quite unstable.

By the time Scorpius realized what was happening, and yelled, "Potter, watch it!" the latter put his foot on the wrong place and the ground where he was standing on started to fall apart.

Fortunately, he managed to hold on the ground that was still steady, but it didn't stay steady for long and was about to go down just like the rest, and Albus was close to follow the rocks and fall off the cliff. Scorpius ran and extended his right hand to him, "Take it, I'll help you up!"

Albus Potter grasped Scorpius Malfoy's arm with his two hands just after starting to fall, but it was hard to pull him up since the other boy had been dragged along the way and half his body wasn't in contact with the ground, either.

"Don't you dare let go of my arm, Potter!" He exclaimed, seeing that Albus was losing his strength after some time staying like that. Scorpius tried to gather more strength but it still wasn't enough.

"Albus? Malfoy? You're here?" They suddenly heard Rose screaming from afar.

"Rose! Here! We need help, fast!" Scorpius yelled as loud as he could.

"Boys! We're comin', don' worry!" Harry replied as he popped out of the woods along with Rose. When he saw the situation they were in, he immediately gave them a hand. Of course, he was able to pull both of them effortlessly and put them far from the edge.

"Albus! Are you ok?" His cousin worried, kneeling next to him.

She did not pay attention to Scorpius who was lifting his eyebrow, his face saying 'Right, don't worry about the one who just saved your precious cousin, girl.'

"Yeah, thanks to Malfoy. If it weren't for him, I would've been lying at the bottom of that cliff, unconscious or worse," Albus slightly smiled, casting a sideways look at Scorpius.

Rose just seemed to remember Scorpius' existence thanks to her cousin's words, and stared at him, surprised.

He just shrugged and looked away, "I didn't want to have his death on my conscience, that's all."

"Thanks," she simply told him, looking straight at him.

This one word and that look from her made him feel a little weird. He wasn't used to that kind of thing coming from her.

Then, she noticed something, and exclaimed, "Malfoy, your arms are bleeding!"

He hadn't even noticed himself, "Oh, that must be because of the friction against the ground when I was trying to pull him up. But it's just a few scratches, that's why I didn't even feel them."

Rose told Hagrid, "Let's get them out of here."

The gamekeeper agreed.

"Hey, what about the hippogriffs?" Albus suddenly remembered.

"We found 'em an' fed 'em just fine."

"That's why we went looking for you," Rose added.

"Too bad you weren't faster, we wouldn't have had to run like hell and almost fall from a cliff," Scorpius said.

"Why run?" She didn't understand.

"Acromantulas," this word alone from Albus was enough.

"Did I tell you I didn't like going in the Forbidden Forest?" Scorpius underlined.

"Yes, you did, Malfoy," the redhead rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything else. She couldn't really blame him this time.

xxxxx

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xxxxx

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter!

Feel free to review, I'd love to get some feedback and know what is good or bad so I can get better at this. (:

Also, I'm French, so English isn't my first language. So if you see some big mistakes, or even small but recurrent or annoying ones, I'd be thankful if you told me :) I know I really dislike reading something with a lot of mistakes in it, even more when it's a story, and I don't want you to have that kind of feeling while reading mine.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

"Wait, let me get this straight. You're telling us that Scorpius _Malfoy_ saved Albus from a severe fall?" Lena exclaimed after the two cousins had related their recent adventure.

"He did," Albus nodded.

"I think we're close to the apocalypse," Peter concluded.

"Come on, it's not that unbelievable. If it was the other way around, each one of us would have done the same thing," Rose reasoned.

"Yes, but we're not Malfoy," the brown-eyed boy argued. "He did almost kill me last week."

"You were totally fine, get over it already," the Weasley girl rolled her eyes.

"You know, for someone who's always arguing with him, you're defending him a lot these days," Albus commented.

"Of course I'd argue with him, he's a jerk and has the knack of getting on my nerves. But that doesn't mean he's plain evil, there's a difference."

"And I agree with you, he's even decent company when he doesn't insult everyone around him," Albus said. They had seen another side of the boy in the Forbidden Forest, and Albus was starting to think, maybe he wasn't so bad.

"What's this, the new Malfoy fan club or what?"

"Believe me, Peter, we're far from being his fans," Rose retorted.

"Yeah, it's not a fan club, but more of a tolerance club, right?" Lena intervened with a smile.

"It's not a club at all," the redhead fumed.

"But do you stand the guy now or not?" Peter inquired.

"Oh course not! I loathe him," she strongly denied before adding more quietly, "I'm just grateful he saved Albus."

Albus and Peter looked at each other, and shrugged while saying, "Girls."

"Still, I seem to miss every good moment these days," Lena suddenly pouted, changing subjects.

"Next time we'll invite you at our detention, I promise," Rose replied sarcastically.

"And you'll maybe even get the chance to be chased by acromantulas," Albus added.

"No thanks. I don't mind regular spiders, but I'd rather stay away from those who have legs bigger than my whole body, and there are eight of them."

"I know right, me too. I'm so glad I wasn't the one who was chased by them, I would have been petrified," Rose went on. Obviously, she had inherited her father's arachnophobia, probably because he'd always tell her how horrible they were when she was still little.

xxxxx

The four friends were heading towards their next class.

"So, do you know how's the new Potions teacher like?" Lena asked.

"I don't know much. I only heard Professor Hazebrown was very friendly, and not really strict. Some also say she was a model before becoming a teacher. I just hope she'll still teach us well," Rose replied.

"Wait, that would mean she's Olivia Hazebrown. My older sister is her fan and wants to be like her. And I understand why, she's so beautiful," Peter exclaimed, already grinning at the thought. "I'm sure she will be a great teacher."

"You're sure you're not the one who's her fan?" Rose joked.

"Guys. So simpleminded," Lena sighed.

Peter finally shook his head, "But still, I don't understand why they always pair us up with the Slytherins for Potions. I mean, it's one of the classes where they can pull the most pranks, one drop of the wrong ingredient and that's it," Peter complained.

"Right, if the teacher's not strict, I can see where this is coming," Albus concluded.

"Don't act like you're the only victims here, you know how to riposte just fine, don't you Potter?" a rather tall guy with brown hair and green eyes, who would be described as handsome by most people, said while going past them. And that would be Damon Stones, a close friend of Scorpius Malfoy, who was standing next to him.

"I don't know, you should ask your best friend over there," Peter pointed his chin at Malfoy.

"It's a shame you're not in a cage today, Crawford. It'll be safer for all of us, since you'll probably end up blowing something up again. And you certainly don't need our help for that," Scorpius retorted, smirking.

"If only it was your head that I could blow up," Peter barked.

The four boys were ready to fight, but Rose put her arm in front of her two friends, "Stop it you two, they're not worth it," she said while glaring at Malfoy.

The two Slytherins scoffed and walked into the classroom.

"Yep, there's no doubt, I still hate the guy," Rose said.

"Seems like last time was just a moment of insanity from his part," Albus added as the little group entered the classroom too.

"Stop, stop, stop. Do not sit yet," a slightly tanned woman with mid-long, nicely crimped brown hair suddenly exclaimed. She looked rather young for a teacher and was wearing dark auburn robes and a lot of golden jewelry. And Rose could totally see her being a model.

The girls were admiring her beauty, while the boys were totally drooling at her.

"For this class, I want you to pair up with someone from another house than yours. Which means that I want one student from Gryffindor and one from Slytherin next to each other. No exception," she said with a smile.

Heavy sighs and loud complaints ensued. Suddenly, nobody was happy with her anymore.

"Pairing with a Gryffindor? Yeah right, I guess I'll have to skip this class," one said with a sigh.

"I don't care, if the one I'm paired up with doesn't do their part of the work, I'll tell the Professor Hazebrown," another said angrily.

"This class just became the most boring one," someone declared, "That's what we get for choosing a mindless professor."

"Are you kidding me? They're really asking for us to fight," Peter snapped. "She may be really pretty, but I still can't agree with her idea."

"What does being pretty have to do with anything here?" Lena rolled her eyes at him.

"Come on, come on, it won't be as bad as you think. I'm sure you'll get along just fine," the professor tried to reason. "So, every Gryffindor student, line up and come draw a paper one by one. The name on it will be your Slytherin partner for the rest of the term. Students from Slytherin, please take a seat. Only one per desk, of course."

"I still can't believe she's making us do this," Peter complained again while standing in line.

"I guess that's the too friendly part of hers I heard about," Rose deducted.

Lena drew a paper and rolled her eyes after reading it, "I got Damon Stones. Great."

It was Rose's turn, "Sicilia Grande." Not bad, she was known to be serious in her work.

Peter was the next one, "Blake Vandergraff." Didn't ring a bell.

Albus made a face once he saw his, "And I got Scorpius Malfoy."

They all got to their respective seats while dragging their feet. Of course, Malfoy was sitting in the last row, next to Damon's desk. Rose found Sicilia sitting on the desk in front of Scorpius and Albus, and Peter was at the exact opposite of the room.

"Well, hello deskmate," Damon greeted Lena smoothly, as if he didn't start a fight with her friends a few minutes before.

"We already saw each other. And let's keep it to only being civil to each other during class, ok? No need to be friendly," the girl replied coldly.

"Oh, a feisty one, I like it." Damon wasn't a well-known playboy for nothing. Lena just rolled her eyes and turned her head, ignoring him.

"Hello," Rose simply said with a polite smile as she sat next to Sicilia.

"Hello," the girl, who had long straight brown hair that matched her chocolate eyes and tanned skin, replied in the same manner.

And their conversation ended like that. Talk about awkward.

"Why didn't you magically changed the paper?" Scorpius rebuked as soon as Albus approached his seat.

"Well, sorry for not automatically thinking about using low tricks," the boy retorted.

"I guess Professor Hazebrown's decision to make the Gryffindor students draw wasn't totally innocent," Rose commented.

"Well, I don't know, after all one Gryffindor or another doesn't change a thing for most of us, so why cheat?" Sicilia said without sounding the bit offended. She didn't seem bad, indeed.

"Right, one stuck-up or another, same difference," Malfoy spat, "And I could've had much worse, meaning a certain ginger who's a real pain in the arse."

"Careful, 'cause you've got his cousin instead," Albus warned.

"Let it slide Al', I already told you he wasn't worth it," Rose said, but not without shooting an angry look at the Slytherin boy.

xxxxx

"Potions officially became my less favorite class of the year," Lena exclaimed while eating at her house's table In the Great Hall, "In just the rest of the time we had left after pairing up, Stones was able to tell me at least ten innuendos and did nothing else, besides laughing with Malfoy of course."

"You're still lucky, at least he's handsome and actually talks to you. My partner does nothing, like really nothing. He just slept during the rest of the hour," Minzy, a fellow Gryffindor girl, said.

"Well, Sicilia seems cool and serious. I think I was lucky here. And she doesn't even snicker to Malfoy's remarks even though he's right behind us."

"And I am the one sitting next to him. I swear, this will not end well. This time was alright since we didn't do much, but that's sitting next to him for the whole term we're talking about."

"And I am alone at the total opposite of all of you. But I have to admit that Blake guy doesn't seem too bad. The only problem is that I think he's as bad as me with potions, so we're basically screwed for this class."

A really cute little blond boy with hazel eyes arrived and sat next to them, "Hey guys!"

"Hey Finn," the others greeted back. Finn McCarthy was a 4th year, just like Albus' sister Lily and Rose's brother Hugo.

"So, I heard your first match will be against Ravenclaw," he said. The young boy loved Quidditch, but unfortunately he wasn't good at playing it.

"Oh, don't talk about it, since it's the first match of the year, James is fired up and make us train every day," Rose sighed. She was a keeper in the team.

"Well, it is his last year here, so of course he'd want to end it well," Albus, Gryffindor's seeker, said.

"I know, but because of this I've barely got the time to review my lessons."

"What lessons? We started school this week," Peter couldn't believe her.

"We've already got plenty, believe me. Ancient Runes, Herbology and Potions are full of things to learn by heart. We have to read a big part of the book of Defense Against the Dark Arts…" She started enumerating.

"Ok ok, I get it. I shouldn't have asked," he stopped her. "And to go back on the subject, I don't mind training more than usual. It is the opening match of year after all, and we have to go back in shape after the summer holidays." Peter Crawford was also part of the team as a beater.

"Talk about you, our family doesn't stop playing Quidditch on the holidays, on the contrary," Rose retorted.

"That's because half of our current team is from our family. And not to mention we're from a Quidditch-freak family," a girl said from behind her cousin before sitting next to Finn. She was quite short and slim, had straight red hair that fell a little on her shoulders, and bright brown eyes.

"You're exaggerating Lily, we're only three, that does not make half of the team," Rose objected.

"James is a beater and the captain, which means 4 positions out of 8 are held by someone of our family. I believe that equals to half of the team," Lily Potter smirked.

Her cousin sighed, "Fine, I give up. You're right."

"By the way, Lily, aren't you interested in playing in the team?" Lena asked.

"Nope, as I was saying, our family has largely enough members in it, and James is already training Hugo to fill up his position of chaser next year. I play with my family so they're happy but that's all. The sport I prefer is shopping, anyway," she beamed.

"That makes at least one girl here who actually pays attention to her looks. You should learn from her," Peter advised Rose and Lena.

Of course, he got hit by the two of them at the same time.

Peter looked shocked while rubbing his arms, while Albus shrugged, "You should've seen it coming, mate."

xxxxx

"So, your main assignment of this term will be the brewing of a Polyjuice potion, as it needs a lot of complicated prior preparation and brewing time. Of course, you'll do it with your desk partner. While we do other potions in class, this one, along with the report you'll give me, will count as 70% of your grade, so do it well," Professor Hazebrown explained.

"Great," both Scorpius and Albus sighed at the idea of doing it together.

"At least we agree on one thing," Malfoy said.

"Well, as much as we dislike it, we have to cope with it," Albus reasoned, "So, I suggest we call a truce, at least for everything concerning this class."

Scorpius seemed to think about his proposition for a few seconds before finally agreeing to it, "Alright then. It's the only way not to fail this class, after all."

Albus extended his hand, but Malfoy just stared at it, "Let's not go overboard, shall we?"

"If we can't shake hands, how could we work together?" He insisted.

The white-blond-haired boy finally gave in and shook it real quickly.

Albus smiled in triumph. He did not particularly want to shake Malfoy's hand either, but his accepting to do that was a sign he was ready to make some concessions.

The rest of the hour went unexpectedly smoothly. They weren't being friendly or making conversation, they just talked when needed for their work.

When the class was finished, Rose went to her cousin and said, "Did I see wrong or Malfoy and you are standing each other's presence without problem?"

"I suggested we call it a truce for this class only," he explained.

"Really? And Malfoy accepted it?" Peter gasped after catching up with them in the corridor, Lena walking close to him.

"He doesn't really have a choice if he doesn't want to fail his exam."

"I'm surprised he didn't try to get another partner, though," Lena said.

"Professor Hazebrown doesn't look strict, but she does seem to be stubborn when it comes to her decisions. I heard some students already tried to talk her out of this mixing-houses nonsense but she didn't flinch," Rose informed them.

"I wouldn't have minded mixing houses, as long as if it wasn't with Slytherin," Lena complained. "How am I supposed to pass the exam with that playboy of a partner I have, huh?"

"Just make him understand you're not interested," Peter told her and quickly added, "You're not, are you?"

"Of course not! I am not attracted by men who like themselves more than they'd like anyone else. And I did tell him, he just doesn't listen. I'm starting to think flirting is his way of breathing."

"Would you like me to say a word to him?" Peter asked her.

She frowned, "You? Why?"

"Well, man to man and all that stuff," he said without much conviction.

"Only a boyfriend would do that – a real one I mean, not just a friend who's a boy – and you aren't. My boyfriend, I mean. You are my friend who's a boy but that's all," she ranted nervously. Seeing the looks her friends were giving her, she cleared her throat, "Anyway, the point is, it would probably be useless."

"How about you find yourself a boyfriend, then?" Rose said jokingly. "You haven't had one in ages."

"Time for us boys to go," Albus said while pushing Peter by the shoulders and walking faster. Even if Lena and Rose weren't really girly, they were still, well, girls. They didn't talk much about clothes, make-up, boys and other girl things, but it still happened on occasions. Like now. And he certainly wasn't interested about that kind of talk.

"But…" His friend tried to protest, looking at the girls, as if he wanted to hear more of their conversation. But Albus wouldn't listen to him and left the girls alone.

"You're not one to talk. Think about your own love life before mine, ok?" Lena replied as playfully.

They sat on a bench outside.

"Still, you're sure Stones is not an option? He is handsome, after all."

"And since when did I care only about looks?"

"Then, what about his bad boy character? Really popular among girls I heard," she said jokingly.

"If that was true, you would've jumped on Scorpius Malfoy long ago. He fits the handsome bad boy category, after all."

Rose shuddered at the thought, "Why are you saying such creepy things? I'll really have nightmares now. Plus, Malfoy doesn't flirt with me, he only insults me," she argued. "And did you really call Malfoy handsome?"

"We have to give him at least that. You can't tell me you find him ugly."

"Well, no. But it's Malfoy, his ugly personality takes over the outside looks. And hearing this from you is weird, that's all."

She disliked him since her first year in Hogwarts, so she'd never really paid attention to his looks, like his mesmerizing grey eyes and his perfectly defined jaw, or his white-blond hair that looked so soft and kind of sexy on him, or even his strong arms that weren't shown often enough. She really hadn't, that was just what she heard other girls say about him.

"Of course it's weird, because I don't usually talk about looks, because I don't really care about looks, or at least I care more about personality than looks," she pointed out.

"Right, I understand. Stones, out. I was just joking anyway, I knew you wouldn't be interested. But you know, Peter acts somewhat protective towards you when it comes to Stones," she implied.

"He just doesn't like the guy. He would do the same thing if you were the one in this situation. Ok, maybe not since there's already Albus, but you get the idea."

"I get it, but I'm not sure it's right," she went on.

"Peter's a friend. That's all."

"Alright, I'll stop," she gave in. But she still smiled inside, seeing how her friend's has turned slightly pink, which didn't happen when they were talking about Stones.

xxxxx

"Here are some books that could help us," Albus said to Scorpius, putting four books on the table.

"I still don't understand why we have to do all this. Normally, we do a potion, and that's all. Or we have an exam asking us about how we do the potion. We don't have a whole bloody report to do or anything. Why do we have to do research about that bloody potion's history, anyway?"

"Ask Professor Hazebrown, she's she one making us do it," Albus sat next to the Slytherin boy.

"How can a professor be so easy-going during class and yet so strict on papers? That's the worst, a vicious kind of teacher from which you don't know what to expect."

"I know what you mean. That's why we have to do this perfectly."

Malfoy sighed loudly while taking the first book of the pile, "Let's begin, then."

After meeting at the library a few times over the past two weeks, the two boys had stopped paying attention to the weird looks people were giving them. They knew why they were getting those looks, since they were the first ones to find this situation weird.

Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy were alone together in the library, not fighting or even arguing, but working, and acting almost friendly to each other. Almost being the keyword, they were just tolerating one another. But the strangest part was that it wasn't difficult to do so. Malfoy was surprisingly serious in his work – which shouldn't really be surprising, he was second of his year after all (right behind Rose Weasley) – and didn't make any nasty comments, so Albus didn't either.

"I'm done. I need a break," Albus declared after some time, leaning back on his chair. "If my brain gets one more detail about that bloody potion, it will explode."

"Thank you, I thought I was the only one like that. Seriously, I even know useless things like that Polyjuice is called _Polynectar_ in French, but I can't remember how I learned that, I don't remember reading it, I just remember it. That's insane."

"I think that's enough for tonight. Or even for the week. It's already late anyway, and I have practice tomorrow morning."

"I heard your brother is really serious about this," Malfoy surprisingly said. In two weeks, it was the first time they spoke about something unrelated to the Potions class.

"Yes, he is. But he knows when to stop, too. He says overworked and overtired people are worse that undertrained ones, so even though we practice a lot, we aren't slowly dying either."

"He sounds like a good captain." Another surprising remark.

Albus smiled, "He is. It's his third year as captain, so he's found the right balance."

"Well, I can't wait to have a match against your well-trained team, and have our revenge for last year's match. My house is determined to win the Cup this year," he smirked. "And don't take me lightly, I practiced my speed a lot during summer." Scorpius was his team's seeker.

"Me too. But let's focus on our upcoming matches first. Who knows, one of us could lose."

"Yeah right, it's been years since our two houses are the real deal. In the end, Gryffindor and Slytherin have always the most points."

"Maybe they got better players or tactics this year."

"I heard Hufflepuff got new beaters and chasers, and Ravenclaw a new seeker and a chaser as well. But I don't think it will be enough. I mean, even if they're getting better, we are getting better too. So the gap stays the same. And neither of us lost an important player this year."

"I guess it makes sense when you put it like that," he agreed.

Albus was a little surprised Scorpius gave it so much thought. At first, he thought it was just in his nature to be arrogant and show off about everything, but he had to admit he sometimes had reasons to show off. Not that he approved of his attitude, though. But at least it's not, 'I'm the best because I am the best', or 'because we're better than you and you have nothing to say about it', or even 'because I'm rich and can do what I want.' He realized just now that Malfoy never actually said something like that, that was all his own assumptions about him. Of course, Malfoy's behavior didn't help either, but he wasn't as bad as he thought he was.

"You know, you're not as bad company as I thought, after all," Albus said out loud.

Scorpius gave him a look and said, "Geez, thanks," before smirking, "You're not too bad yourself, Potter."

And that's when the most unexpected thing happened.

Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy were alone together in the library, not fighting or even arguing, not working either, but talking to each other and – brace yourselves – along the way, they kind of became friends.

xxxxx

* * *

xxxxx

So, not much Scorpius/Rose interaction in this chapter, but I had to focus on Albus/Scorpius since they couldn't become friends in just two lines.

And you probably noticed, but my story won't only focus on those three, their close friends will be important too, they aren't there just for decoration or to give the line. So I hope you'll enjoy this part of the plot as well. (:


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Congratulations!" Someone exclaimed while going past our little group of Gryffindor teenagers on their way to the Great Hall for dinner.

"Here are the stars of the day," Minzy greeted them with a big smile, while the whole table was applauding and cheering.

"You don't have to be so ecstatic about it, it was only the first match," Rose said humbly.

"It was still one heck of a match. You surpassed yourselves again," Finn exclaimed. "Ravenclaw also improved, but they still weren't a match for you."

"Well, they did surprise us at first but then we quickly caught up," Peter bragged.

"Where's James, by the way?" Lily asked.

"He was with us at first but then some girls surrounded us, and he stayed there," Albus said, shaking his head.

"I should've stayed too," Peter said with a sigh. "Why didn't I?"

"Because you were hungry," Lena replied.

"Right! Bon appétit!" He exclaimed while putting some food in his mouth, suddenly remembering he was craving.

"This guy has no brain. It's unbelievable," Lena was shaking her head, and the others laughed, agreeing with what she said.

Then, James finally joined them with the rest of the team and received the same cheers they did.

"Took you long enough," Albus told his brother.

"I couldn't help it, I'm too kind that's all," he smirked.

"Yeah right, as if you didn't enjoy it," Rose said.

"Of course I did. It shows our training wasn't for nothing."

"You're such a playboy," Lily shook her head. "You play only to get girls."

"I do not. I play because I love to play. Girls are just great bonuses," he grinned as he sat next to a tanned dark-haired young man.

The latter sighed, "Maybe I should've played for the team, too."

"No, enough of our family in the team," Lily retorted, "Plus, it's too late for you to realize that, you're a 7th year, Freddie."

"And now I'm even being lectured by my 14-year-old little cousin," he joked.

"Imagine when you're in her class," Hugo told him.

"Hey, don't make it sound like I boss you around. I'm quite an easy-going girl," the Potter girl protested.

"Oh, that you are," Hugo agreed.

James and Albus gave a look at their younger sister, "Is there something we should know?"

"More like something you shouldn't know," a young girl with tanned skin and straight dark hair chimed in. And that would be Fred's little sister, Roxanne Weasley.

Next to her was another girl about her age who had a fair skin and mid length red hair, "Don't listen to her, she's just messing with you guys."

"Thank you Lucy, and _not_ thank you, Roxanne," Lily said.

"Ok, too many Weasleys here, you shouldn't gather at the same spot, we'll think it's the Weasley house instead of the Gryffindor one," Peter commented.

"Well, we only came to congratulate you for your match. Now, we can go back to our usual seats," Lucy Weasley smiled.

"Bye guys," Roxanne smiled too before following her cousin and joining the other 3rd years.

The rest of the dinner went smoothly. Everyone at the table was in a great mood because their team won the first match of the season.

When the four friends left the table, they bumped into Scorpius and Damon in the corridor. Three out of four of the Gryffindor students were already getting ready to retort something to their haughty comments, but they were surprised when those comments never came, but instead, Malfoy smiled and said, "See? Told you it'd be a piece of cake for you."

Albus smiled back, "Now you just have to win yours."

"Don't worry about that," he said with confidence. He finally paid attention to Rose and Peter, and told them nonchalantly while taking a bite out of the apple he was holding, "You two weren't too bad either, by the way. But be careful, our team is also really strong."

"Huh, thanks," Rose said, surprised and not really sure how to take it. She wasn't used to be sort of complimented by him.

Peter just ignored him.

"I'll be in the tribunes for the next match, if you want, you can go see it with me," Damon winked at Lena.

"No, thanks," she replied coldly.

"Sorry about that, that guy just never learns," Scorpius smirked at Lena, before looking back at Albus, "See you tomorrow, as usual, then?"

"Yep, same hour, same place," he confirmed.

Scorpius nodded before going his own way, shortly followed by Damon just after the latter winked one last time at the brunette.

"Seriously, aren't you tired of getting blown off, mate?" They heard Malfoy say.

"What can I do, that's how I am," Stones shrugged.

"Ok, that was weird," Rose said while staring at the two Slytherins' backs.

"Is it me, or was Malfoy kind of… friendly?" Lena was frowning.

"He's actually cool these days, you know," Albus said.

"I know you two called a truce and all, but aren't you getting too friendly with him? He's still Scorpius Malfoy, you know," Peter said.

"Yes he is, but he's not as bad as we thought. Even right now, he didn't taunt us or anything. You should give him a chance."

"Yeah, no thanks," Peter said, still not convinced.

"I still think it's weird," Rose wasn't sure about this, either.

"I spend already enough time with that friend of his. But I have to admit he was ok, for once."

"Thank you," Albus told Lena. At least one of them was on his side.

xxxxx

"I love Hogsmeade," Peter said as they were walking in the Hogsmeade's High Street covered by snow, making everyone feel Christmas was coming.

"No, you just love to go to _pubs_ in Hogsmeade, that's different," Lena said knowingly. For once, she'd let her hair down.

"You got me," he smiled brightly.

"Talking about this, here's the Three Broomsticks Inn," Albus pointed at it.

They went in it. The inn looked full, so Rose and Lena were searching for a table while the boys were ordering the butterbeers. Luckily, they found one big enough for all of them.

"What are they doing, brewing the drinks themselves?" Lena asked after some time.

Rose stretched herself, looking around. "Nope, they're here, with company," she pointed her chin near the bar. Here were Albus and Peter, talking to two Ravenclaw girls that Rose identified as Suzy Walker and Petunia Whitworth, two 6th years.

"Don't those girls have some dignity? They're all over them," Lena snapped.

Truth was Suzy seemed ok, only talking and smiling at Albus, but Petunia was touching Peter's arms and shoulders as much as she could. The poor boy didn't seem to know what to do.

"Don't tell me they're coming over with them," Lena exclaimed, going a little red in the face.

"Looks like they are," Rose said.

"We're back with the beer!" Albus exclaimed with an awkward smile. He sat next to Lena, and Suzy sat next to him, while Petunia sat next to Rose – obviously not wanting another girl close to her new target – while pulling Peter next to her.

"I didn't realize butterbeers were sold with tarts now," Lena mumbled angrily, but only Rose seemed to have heard her, and she couldn't help but chuckle.

"What did you say?" Peter asked, oblivious.

"Nothing, just talking about the poor quality of this inn's pastries," Lena said with a fake smile.

Rose held back another chuckle and decided to change subjects before the others figured it out, "And why don't you introduce us?"

"This is Suzy Walker," Albus started, and the girl politely said "Hi." At least that one seemed decent. She had a cute smile and bright hazel eyes. Her long dark blonde hair that was tied into a low loose ponytail on the side that let her curls fall on her left shoulder. Rose found her really beautiful.

"And this is–"

"I'm Petunia Whitworth. Nice to meet you," she rudely cut him short. She had a fair skin, long straight blonde hair, and blue eyes. She was also good-looking, but she didn't give off the same feeling as Suzy did at all. While Suzy looked cute and sweet, Petunia looked shallow and arrogant. And her behavior confirmed Rose's impressions.

"You're Rose Weasley, right?" The annoying girl went on. She didn't even wait for Rose to answer and looked at Lena, "And you're…? Oh right, you're their friend, the one who always has a ponytail. Sorry, didn't recognize you with your hair down. Lena, is that right?"

"That's right," Lena was obviously trying to keep her calm.

"You're so lucky to hang out with the three of them," she said. "I know I shouldn't say that as I'm in Ravenclaw, but I was so impressed during their last match, I almost forgot I shouldn't be rooting for them," she giggled.

"We're as lucky to have her as a friend, you know," Rose defended her best friend.

"Oh, really?" She sounded genuinely surprised, and that made the two Gryffindor girls hate her even more.

"Look, Scorpius and Damon are here," Albus quickly changed subjects, waving at the Slytherins.

_Not really helping_, Rose thought.

"Oh, you're friends with them, now? I thought you were like born enemies or something like that." For a Ravenclaw, she sounded quite dumb.

"We just weren't on good terms, that's all," Albus shortly explained as the boys were heading towards the table.

Rose's eyes widened when realizing there was only some place left next to her and Lena. _Really not helping, Albus._

What she feared happened. Of course, Damon saw Lena and started to sit next to her. Rose was praying for Lena to tell him off as she always did, but this time she didn't. She even smiled at him, obviously trying to get it back at Petunia.

"Well, hey there. You're quite sweet, today," Stones said happily.

"We're really sitting here? I thought we'll just say hi and find another table," Malfoy said, still standing up.

"And miss an opportunity to spend time with these beautiful girls?" Damon replied with a smile, before putting his arm around Lena's shoulders and whisper to her, "I'm here only for you, though."

Lena shuddered but forced a smile, "You're so sweet."

Malfoy sighed, "Alright. But you owe me one. Now I have to sit next to Weasley."

"I'm as pleased as you, don't worry," she rolled her eyes at him.

"Come on guys, try to get along," Albus pleaded.

"You're asking too much here, my dear cousin."

"By the way, congratulations for winning your Quidditch match last week," Suzy said to Scorpius, trying to change subjects and lighten the mood.

"Thank you, but it wasn't really a surprise you know."

"Talk about modesty," Rose couldn't help but retort.

"I'm just speaking the truth," Scorpius didn't blink. He wasn't really even bragging like she seemed to think: they did practice a lot, and unless Hufflepuff had a secret weapon, it was practically certain that they'd win the match looking at the stats from the previous years. But as if he'd bother telling her that.

"But your next match will be against Gryffindor. It won't be as easy," Petunia said annoyingly.

"I hope it won't. We need some competition, you know. It's more fun that way," Malfoy smiled at Albus.

"Don't worry, we're already training for it," he replied.

Petunia gasped gleefully and put her hand on Peter's right hand, "Right, I heard you had practice tomorrow, could I go see you, Pete?"

Lena and Rose nearly gagged at the way she called him 'Pete'.

"Hm, I don't know, maybe," Peter awkwardly said. Again, poor boy.

"But James doesn't really like to have people watching you know, especially when they're from other houses," Rose said, trying to help her friend.

"But our house already lost against them, so it doesn't matter," she protested.

"Yes, but regardless, it still distracts our players, right Al'?" Rose widened her eyes at her cousin.

Thankfully, he quickly caught on and played along, "It's true that James doesn't really appreciate it."

"Why are you so against me going? I won't do anything, I'll just cheer for Peter."

"Petunia, you could see him after practice. It's better for him to concentrate during practice," Suzy tried to reason her friend.

How these two became friends was a real mystery to Rose.

Petunia suddenly giggled.

"Has she gone mad?" Damon asked, and Lena chuckled.

"Petunia, what's going on?" Peter eventually asked her.

"Sorry, but I just noticed our names start the same way. Don't you think it's fate?" She looked really happy at the thought.

"I think it's just a coincidence," Rose carelessly commented, rolling her eyes. Seeing how Lena was fuming in front of her because of that crazy girl made her lose her temper.

"Why are you so interfering, Weasley? Jealous?" Malfoy whispered to her with a smirk.

"Me? Of her? Why would I be?" She chuckled.

"You tell me," he replied in a weird tone.

Rose didn't respond, thinking he was just trying to insult her indirectly since Albus was watching.

"I'll go order some more butterbeer. Do you want some, too?" Albus stood up.

Everyone said yes.

"Wait, I'll go with you, you'll need help," Suzy also stood up and followed him, successfully getting away of this weird mood.

"I'll go with you too," Peter tried to go, but Petunia made him stay.

"And abandon me? I don't think so, pumpkin." She was starting to be a little scary now.

"That reminds me, where's your pumpkin, Malfoy? I was expecting you to wear it on Halloween since you would've been right in the theme, but I was kind of disappointed," Rose mocked.

"It was thrown away. But if I find a new one, I'll give it to you. I think it'll suit you better, you already got the color, after all," he retorted.

"Oh no, don't hide that pretty face of yours, Rose," Damon couldn't help but interfere.

"Weasley? A pretty face?" Malfoy scoffed.

"Now you're saying this but…" Damon started but was interrupted by Scorpius.

"Look, Albus and the other girl are back with the butterbeer!"

Rose cast a sideways look at him, thinking he was acting weird, but then decided not to care.

After some time, Suzy politely excused herself and informed everyone she had to join some other friends with Petunia in another shop. Albus smiled at her, understanding.

Peter tried not to look too pleased by the information, while Petunia was complaining because she wanted to stay here, but finally gave in, not without a "See you tomorrow, Pete," and a kiss on his cheek.

When that annoying girl was out of sight, everyone let out a sigh.

"I thought she'd never leave," Scorpius said out loud what everyone was thinking.

"I know, right. She's a pain in the neck," Peter agreed. "I mean, literally," he added while tilting his head from side to side and massaging his neck a little.

"You didn't seem to mind too much, though," Lena retorted.

He shrugged with a guilty smile, "What can I say? I'm a weak man."

"I think you'll have to watch your back now, _Pete_," Rose mocked, saying the nickname in a high-pitched voice.

"Ha, ha," he deadpanned.

"I'm sorry, but that's your own fault for bringing her at our table."

"Hey, I was just being supportive to your cousin! He was silently begging me."

"I think you were dreaming," Albus denied.

"Yeah right, don't think I didn't notice you constantly staring at Suzy during the Charms class with the Ravenclaws," Peter said.

Albus opened his mouth, but quickly closed it again. Apparently, Peter was telling the truth.

"By the way, do you realize Petunia probably thinks you're going out already, and expects you to go with her at the Christmas ball next week?" Rose asked Peter with a smirk.

The Christmas ball had been organized every year in Hogwarts since a few years, and only 6th and 7th year students could attend, along with the teachers of course. Naturally, it wasn't on Christmas since a lot of students would be home at that time, but it took place on the second weekend of December.

"Wait, what? When did _that_ happen?" Peter exclaimed.

Albus, Scorpius and Lena were also frowning.

"The 'See you tomorrow' with a little kiss was totally to set a date with you," Damon said.

"And where were they going, again?" Rose asked knowingly.

The guys didn't seem to catch on, but Lena did, "To Gladrags Wizardwear. They're going to buy a dress for the ball."

"Exactly," she smirked.

Peter's eyes widened, "Help me!"

"Just say no when she asks you," Lena said.

"But I still need to bring a date."

"You only realized that?" The two girls exclaimed. "I told you that guy didn't have a brain," Lena added.

"I thought we could go between friends. But now that Albus probably has a date, it's over."

"By the way, you know how to choose them," Malfoy extended his clenched fist at Albus.

He smiled and bumped it with his own fist, "I know."

The others, except Damon, frowned slightly. It had already been a few weeks since Albus and Scorpius had become friends, but it was still a little weird to see them like that. Who knew they'd become such good friends? They now hung out with each other almost as much as they respectively did with Peter and Damon.

"I have to admit he's right. She seems very nice, too," Lena said.

"What should I do now? These two probably won't want to go with just me," Peter complained, referring to Rose and Lena.

"I have a date too, anyway," Rose said, surprising everyone.

"With who? Since when?" Lena asked. Even she didn't know.

"I bet you're the one who asked, and practically had to beg. I can't see someone taking the initiative to ask you," Scorpius said.

"Chace Hannigan. And _he asked me,_" she quickly glared at Malfoy before looking back at Lena, "this afternoon, before coming here."

"So that's why I couldn't find you right away," Lena said. "I'm glad for you, Rose."

"Sure you didn't use a love potion on him?"

"Quit it, Malfoy. It is not weird for me to have a date," she snapped.

"Rose is actually quite popular. She is smart, beautiful and even plays Quidditch. So it's not surprising that someone like Chace Hannigan would ask her out," Lena bragged about her friend.

Rose smiled shyly, but her mood quickly dropped when she heard Malfoy scoff.

"And do _you_ have a date, Malfoy?" She attacked.

"Not yet, I still need to choose, but there are just so many girls dreaming about going out with me that it's a difficult choice," he showed off.

"I still haven't decided either, by the way," Damon told Lena, but she just ignored him. Now that Petunia wasn't there anymore, she didn't need to fake it any further.

xxxxx

"What? You're going to take her to the ball?" Lena couldn't believe it. "You said she was annoying."

Peter shrugged, "What can I say? I needed a date, and she's not too bad."

"We could've gone together, you know. It's not forbidden to go as friends. But no, _now_ I have to find a date."

"Aren't you going with Stones?"

"What made you think that? I never said yes to him."

"Oh."

"Yes, oh. Thank you very much."

"Hey, don't get mad at me because you couldn't find yourself a date. You could've told me that before."

"I only thought about it now."

"What's happening here?" Rose intervened.

"That idiot agreed to go with Petunia to the ball. And now, I'm the only one without a date," Lena snapped.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find someone soon enough," Rose assured her best friend.

xxxxx

"Hello Albus," Suzy smiled at him. She was wearing a light pink A-line dress that stopped just before her knees, with a large black satin belt on the waste line.

"H-Hi. You look stunning," he complimented her, still in awe.

"Thank you. You're not bad yourself." Albus was wearing classical black and white dress robes.

"Pete!" Petunia exclaimed as soon as she saw him. She had a one-shoulder, close-fitting red dress, a little shorter that Suzy's one.

"Hey," he gulped. Going with her wasn't a bad idea, after all.

"Let's go, then," Albus said with a smile.

When they arrived at the ball, they saw Lena. Her babydoll dress was white at the top, and the rest was black. Her hair was down and wavy. She was beautiful.

She smiled at Albus and Suzy, and greeted them happily, "Hi."

Then, she glared at Peter and Petunia, "Hi," she said coldly.

Peter decided to ignore it and looked around, "So, where's your date?"

"I'm right here," a familiar voice said from behind them.

They turned around and saw Damon Stones, holding two drinks. He went past them and handed one to Lena.

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Anytime," he said with his usual playboy look.

"Where's Rose, by the way?" Albus asked her.

"She must be around there with her date," Lena pointed her chin to the right.

Albus went there with Suzy, leaving the two other couples alone.

As soon as he had the occasion, Peter whispered to Lena, "So you still went with him, in the end. I thought you couldn't stand the guy."

She shrugged, "I decided to give it a shot. And he's not that bad after all."

"Really?"

"And what about your date, huh? Not feeling like running away yet?" She smirked.

"She's less… forward now, so it's ok."

"Good for you, then," she said before leaving him and going back to her date.

xxx

Albus and Suzy bumped into Scorpius Malfoy and Sicilia Grande while searching for Rose. The Slytherin girl was wearing a long, sleeveless black dress that looked really classy and went perfectly on her tanned skin.

"I have to say that your date is dashing, Potter," Scorpius said with a slight smile.

"I have to say that yours is too, Malfoy," he said in the same manner.

"I have to say you can speak to us directly, boys," Sicilia gave them a playful look.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Suzy said before looking over Sicilia's shoulder. "Ah, here's Rose."

Rose had noticed them and was walking towards them. She was wearing a beautiful high-low and sleeveless green dress, and had pushed her red hair on the side, her wide curls falling on her left shoulder.

Next to her was Chace Hannigan, a 7th year from Ravenclaw. He was tall, had brown slightly disheveled hair and blue eyes. Needless to say he was quite popular with the ladies.

"Al', Suzy, you look really good," she exclaimed once they were in front of them.

"You too, Rose. You're splendid!" Suzy Walker complimented her.

Scorpius stared at her a few seconds. He couldn't even find an insult to throw at her, so he just said mockingly, "So, you _can_ look like a girl."

Sicilia slightly hit his arm, "Can't you be nice to her, for once?" She then looked at the redhead, "You look marvelous."

"Why did you hit me?" Malfoy complained.

"Because you were being a jerk," she said matter-of-factly.

"Why did I ask you to come with me, again?"

"Because I'm not one of those annoying groupies of yours?" She said playfully.

"Ah, that's right. Maybe I should have taken one of them, at least they would never hit me."

"They wouldn't hit you, but they'd definitely be worse company than me, trust me."

Rose was surprised to see Sicilia Grande by Malfoy's side, and even more to see them acting like that. Although she'd often seen them together, they were always with some other Slytherins, and they barely talked to each other during class. But now, here they were, acting as though they were best friends, and she was starting to think, maybe they were.

While the two Slytherins were still laughing, she slowly leaned towards Albus, asking him quietly, "Since when are those two close?"

Albus shrugged, "Apparently they talk to each other just outside of class, since Sicilia is really serious in her work and doesn't want to be disturbed."

"So, you knew he was going to take her?" She exclaimed, but still kept her voice low.

"He told me, yes. Why?"

"You should've told me!"

"Why?" He wasn't following her.

"Because she's my potions partner," she replied as if it was an obvious reason.

"So?"

"I don't know!" She said before realizing how weird she sounded.

Albus chuckled, "Even though I've literally known you all my life Rosie, there are still times where I can't understand you."

Then, Chace extended his hand at Rose, "Would you like to dance?"

She smiled brightly, her mood suddenly up, and took his hand, "Of course."

Scorpius had stopped his friendly bickering with Sicilia when he heard Chace Hannigan talk. He made a face as he was watching them head towards the dance floor, "I swear, that guy's weird."

"Stop saying nonsense and let's go dance," Sicilia told him, taking his arm and pulling him with her.

Albus smiled at Suzy and extended his hand, "Shall we dance, too?"

She took his hand, "We certainly shall."

They all were having a lot of fun. Then, everyone began to swap partners. Like that, Rose went from Chace to James, then to Peter, and finally to Scorpius.

Of course, she wasn't pleased with this result and was clearly showing it, but still continued to dance.

"You're not too bad at this, Weasley," he said while turning her around and put his hand back on her waist.

"You neither, I have to admit," she said, still not looking at him.

"So, enjoying your date?"

"Of course, Chace is wonderful," she retorted, not really knowing why he was trying to make conversation with her. She put that on the mood and the champagne. "I didn't know you were such good friends with Sicilia, by the way."

"Our mothers are good friends, so we basically grew up together."

"Oh," she only said.

"What? Surprised I have childhood friends and that I still talk to them?"

"A little," she admitted.

"You should stop jumping to conclusions when it comes to me, Weasley. 'Cause I can guarantee you that most of the time, you're wrong," he smirked at her.

She was about to say something but it was the time to swap partners again. And she was back to dancing with her original date.

"And I finally get my date back," he said with a smile.

She smiled back and danced a little with him, before resting a little while Chace was talking with a friend of his.

Lena came and fell into the chair next to Rose.

"Where's Stones?" Rose asked.

Lena sighed, shaking her head, "Talking with other girls. I got bored and left him."

"Oh, but you're still enjoying the party?"

"Well, yes. He's not too bad, actually. When you see past all his playboy attitude, he can be quite entertaining."

"Miss Reynolds, are you by chance falling for the bad boy?" Rose gasped jokingly.

"I am not," she replied, shaking her head with a smile. "I just think I can stand him, now. As a friend, though."

"And did you tell him that?"

"I did, indeed," she said. "By the way, I saw you dancing with a bad boy, too."

"It's not like I wanted to. We swapped partners randomly and I ended up with him, that's all."

But Lena wasn't really listening anymore, too busy staring at something in front of her.

Rose looked in the same direction, and saw Peter and Petunia kissing on the dance floor.

"That idiot," she muttered.

Lena stood up, "Excuse me, but I think I need some fresh air."

Rose started to stand up too, but Lena stopped her, "Thank you, but don't worry, I'll come back in a minute."

"You're sure?"

Lena gave her a small smile, "Yes. I just need some air, it won't take long."

Rose nodded slightly. She wanted to go with her, but Lena needed some time alone and she respected that.

Chace finally came back, "Hey, sorry for making you wait."

Rose smiled, "I didn't wait long, and Lena was with me so I wasn't alone."

"Hey, Chace! Come here a minute!" Paul Livehood, another 7th year, called him. He was with a few other 7th year students, all boys.

Chace looked at Rose apologetically, "And just after I came back to you. But you can go with me, they won't bite."

Rose laughed, "No thanks, I'll leave you between men. Go, Albus and Suzy are coming here anyway."

He took her hand and gently kissed it, "I won't be long." And he went to see his friends.

"He's quite the gentleman," Suzy commented.

"Yes, he is," Rose smiled, getting a little pink on the cheeks.

"If he really was, he wouldn't have left you alone," Albus had his protective mode on.

"I told him to go."

"I have a bad feeling about him. Even James told me he didn't like him."

"That's because you're my cousins, and I love you for that, but I think I can make my own opinion about him," she smiled.

"Of course, but still, be careful," he said, not convinced and still worried about his little cousin, even if she was only two months younger than him.

"You're so cute when you act protective, you know," Suzy told him.

He looked embarrassed, and was scratching the back of his head, "Hm, thank you."

The girls laughed at his reaction.

xxxxx

Albus and Suzy had left to dance a little more, and Rose was sitting alone again.

"Did your date finally realize his mistake and abandoned you?" An annoyingly familiar voice asked her.

She glared at Scorpius, "He went to talk to some friends, and _I_ decided to stay here. And where is yours?"

"She went to the bathroom," he said while sitting next to her.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Sitting," he stated the obvious.

"But why here?"

"'Cause, believe it or not, I still find you more entertaining than a wall, since you talk back to me and all."

"Too bad then, 'cause I'd rather talk to a wall than to you."

"Come on, can't you stop being so defensive for a minute?"

"Why do you even care? Do you really want us to become friends?"

"Well, not friends, but..."

She wasn't listening to him anymore once she saw Peter and Petunia, kissing again. That reminded her that Lena still hadn't returned. She should go search for her, hoping she didn't witness that again.

She quickly stood up and started to head towards the exit, but Malfoy grasped her arm, "Where are you going? I was still talking."

"I just remembered something. I have to go somewhere," she said hurriedly before moving her arm away. She glanced one last time at Peter and his date.

"That idiot!" She muttered angrily before finally leaving the room.

"Wasn't that Rose? What did you tell her this time?" Sicilia asked Scorpius, looking at the angry silhouette leaving the party.

"It wasn't me. She suddenly snapped, and I think I know why," he said, staring at the couple on the dance floor. "Not that I really care, though," he quickly added.

"You don't sound like someone who doesn't care, you know that?" She pointed out.

"I really don't, as if I was interested in Weasley's business," he denied. He stood up, "Wanna dance?"

Sicilia decided to let it go and accepted his offer. She knew there was no use arguing with him now. But she'll definitely talk to him some other time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Rose finally found Lena, sitting on a staircase not far from the dancing hall. Her shoulder and her head were leaning on the wall. Her eyes were red, and she was staring into space.

"Hey, you never came back," she gently said while sitting next to Lena.

Lena finally looked up. She didn't even have noticed her friend's presence. She straightened up and gave Rose an apologizing smile, "Yeah, sorry. It was just too hard for me."

"Don't worry, you don't have to push yourself," she put her hand on her best friend's shoulder in a comforting way.

"But you should go back, Chace must be waiting for you. You don't need to worry about me, enjoy your night," Lena managed a little smile, trying to convince Rose she was ok.

"And leave you like that? No, you already had enough time alone, I'm staying with you."

"Go, I'll keep her company," someone said. The two girls looked in front of them.

"Stones," Rose was surprised to see him there.

"Come on, go," he insisted.

Rose looked at Lena. The latter smiled, "See, I won't be alone. Now, go have some fun."

She nodded, patted one last time her shoulder, and stood up. "I trust her to you, then," she said when she was walking past him.

Damon nodded to Rose when their eyes met. Then, he went to sit next to Lena, "So, why is my lovely date hiding like this?"

"Why did you leave the party?" Lena ignored his question.

"Because my date sneaked out, so I decided to go find her. Sorry for taking that long, though. Girls can be really stubborn."

"You could've stayed with them."

"I didn't want to. They quickly bored me. So, will you tell me what happened or not?" He insisted.

"Nothing," she lied.

He leaned back and casually said, "So the nothing that made your beautiful eyes look like that, is it related to a certain Gryffindor boy and his annoying date?"

Lena's eyes widened, "How did you know?"

"You're kind of obvious, you know. I caught on when you were all smile to me while that Petunia whatever-her-last-name-is was all over Crawford, and you stopped as soon as she left," he explained.

"I'm awful, aren't I?" She let out a dry chuckle.

"If you really were, I wouldn't have taken you to the ball."

"Why did you, by the way? You knew I was just using you."

"You weren't. You clearly told me you weren't interested, and I'm not trying to make you change your mind."

"Then, why?"

"Told you, the other girls are boring. Sure, I can do plenty of things with them, but having a real discussion isn't one of them."

"You really invited me without any other thoughts?" Lena gave him a look, skeptical.

"Well, of course I wouldn't mind if you changed your mind," he started with a smirk, "But, if that's what you want, I don't mind being anything more than your friend, if you allow me to be your friend, that is." He then frowned and tilted his head, "Though it'd be the first time I'd do this with a girl. Weird."

Lena chuckled, "You're such a playboy."

"And a proud one," he grinned.

She shook her head and smiled, looking at him, "Friends, then?"

"Friends," Damon smiled back. "But don't expect me to stop being me. You're still a girl, and a really pretty one too, and I am Damon Stones."

She rolled her eyes, still smiling, "You're unbelievable."

"Come on, you love me because I'm like that," he smirked again and quickly added, "Platonically, of course."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're right," she admitted. His perpetual jokes helped her clear her head, and she was able to smile in his company.

"Still platonically?" He asked with his usual humor.

"Still platonically." She was shaking her head, again, "You're really persistent, you know that?"

He put his hands up, acting innocent, "Hey, just checking."

They stayed here, on these stairs, for some time. And laughed. And Lena managed to forget about her heartache for a moment. Who would've have thought she'd become friends with a Slytherin? And especially with Damon Stones? Life was definitely full of surprises.

xxxxx

The next day, Albus, Rose, Lena and Peter were in the common room, sitting in front of the fire.

"I'm bored," Peter said.

"Why don't you go see your little girlfriend, then?" Lena spat without thinking.

"She's not my girlfriend," he said.

"And yet you seemed pretty close last night. Literally speaking," she went on.

"Of course, did you see her in that dress? How could I resist? I'm a free man after all."

"And does she know you two aren't a couple?" Rose asked while Lena was rolling her eyes at their friend.

"Yes, she agreed too. Apparently she went with me to make her ex-boyfriend jealous. That's also why she acted like she did back at the pub, her ex was there," he explained.

"And you were ok with being used?"

He shrugged, "I don't mind being used like that. Plus, that made things easier for me, so it's all good."

"Well, I guess it's ok then," the redhead admitted, still not really getting it. But hey, boys are boys.

"What about you, Lena? You and Stones disappeared in the middle of the party," Peter asked.

She tried to hide her embarrassment and said, "I was tired of dancing, so I went out from some fresh air, and he kept me company. That's all."

"Oh, so you girls say it like that, now," he nearly accused.

"We are just _friends_. Not that it's your business," she snapped.

"Friends? With Damon Stones? Really? Since when?" His voice was a little higher than usual.

She crossed her arms, "Since last night. I realized he was actually cool."

"Great. Another one befriending a Slytherin, and Malfoy's best friend on top of it."

"Come on, I thought we were over with hating Malfoy," Albus finally spoke up.

"You are. I still can't stand him, or his friends for that matter. Rose, you're with me, right?" He said, trying to find some support.

The girl shrugged, "I still can't stand Malfoy, but I have nothing against Stones." The guy did cheer her best friend up, after all. She had to give him some credit.

"Sorry mate, you're alone on this one," Albus said.

Peter sighed heavily. "Ok, I give up."

Albus looked at the clock, "Sorry, but I have to head out."

"Meeting Suzy?" Lena teased him.

He smiled, "Yes, we're going to study together."

"Study, right," Peter said knowingly.

He ignored him, "I'll go, then." And he left.

After a little while, Rose stood up, "I'm going out a little, too."

"You're going to the library again?" Peter exclaimed, not believe one could spend that much time in that horrible place.

"No, Chace wanted me to meet him."

"So, you're official now?" Lena asked with a smile.

"I don't know, I guess I'll found out now," she said shyly. Chace had tried to kiss her goodbye after the ball, but she had instinctively backed away, though she didn't know why. It was probably too fast for her, after all she barely knew him. But he seemed really nice and, to be honest, she wasn't immune to his charms, and she really wanted to give it a try with him.

"That's great! Have fun, then!"

"Thank you," she said before leaving the common room.

"And then there were two," Lena said, quoting the Muggle book she had recently read.

"Two what?"

She sighed, "Nothing." Of course he wouldn't get it, like most of the people here.

xxxxx

Chace was waiting for her in the courtyard, and smiled when she arrived, "Hello."

She smiled back, "Hello. How was the library?"

"Silent," he joked. "And boring, I wish you'd have been with me."

"I don't think it would've been less boring, when I am studying I do nothing else, so it would've been as if I wasn't there anyway," she rambled.

"Then I would've watched you study without getting bored of it," he gently caressed her cheek with his thumb. He then took a breath and said, "Rose, listen I'm sorry for last night, I shouldn't have tried to kiss you. But that's because I really like you. So, would you like to go out with me?"

She was smiling and about to give her answer, when someone intervened from behind, "How touching. But I have to tell you, Weasley, since I'm so kind and all. We just heard him talk to his friends, he only cares about what your last name is, I think I heard the words 'not that hard to get after all' and 'new trophy' too. You didn't really believe he was genuinely interested in you now, did you?"

She turned around and saw that jerk smirking, obviously delighted with himself. Next to him was Damon Stones, who was just watching the scene and didn't really show any emotion.

"Talking about last names, I think you've got some nerve to go around shamelessly with the one you have, _Malfoy_. I never understood why they accepted you here, you son of a Death Eater. I guess it must be good to be so rich you can buy your way in Hogwarts, and your way out of Azkaban." Chace retorted spitefully.

Scorpius and Damon were taking out their wands, furious, but something so unbelievable happened they stopped.

Rose Weasley had just slapped Chace Hannigan in the face. Hard. And her eyes were full of anger.

"Why did you do that? He's the one insulting you!" Chace yelled, pointing at Malfoy. He couldn't believe it.

"You're despicable," she started in an ice-cold voice, "Do you realize you're being as bad as Death Eaters? Judging and insulting someone solely because of their parents. If you judge Malfoy like that, I'm starting to think what he said about your being after my last name only was also true."

"Rose, don't believe him. I was just angry because he insulted you, I was trying to protect you," he tried to place his hand on her shoulder, but she quickly slapped it away.

"I don't need that kind of protection," she informed him, her eyes still full of steel.

Chace narrowed his eyes, dropping the mask, "You're no better than me, you hate him because of your families' issues, too."

"No, I hate him because he's a prick, regardless of what his last name is," she deadpanned, tired of his crap.

Of course, her dad's words the first time she saw Scorpius Malfoy made her wary of him before actually talking to him, but then she'd been able to make her own opinion about him, which didn't really change anything, most to her father's pleasure: when she would talk at home about how annoying Scorpius was, her father would even encourage her, and then her mother would reprimand him for 'corrupting their daughter.' Anyway, the point was, family issues or not, she'd still dislike him.

"Oh, and I think I don't need to answer your previous question, do I?" She added.

"You're ditching me because of him?" He was getting angry now.

"I didn't realize you were such an idiot," she rolled her eyes, "One, I'm not ditching you since we weren't together in the first place. Two, it has nothing to do with him, it's because you're an arsehole. Now, piss off."

Chace looked at her, then at the two Slytherins, then at her again, "You're making a big mistake."

"On the contrary, I think I just corrected my mistake," she smirked.

Chace was fuming, he pointed at her and said, "You will regret this!" and then left, still really pissed off.

Damon and Scorpius, who had stayed silent during the whole thing, snickered.

"I have to admit, Weasley, you were kind of awesome on this one," Scorpius smirked, but his good mood quickly went down when Rose kicked him in the leg. "Hey, what was _that_ for?"

Damon tried to stifle his laugh behind his hand. This girl had guts.

"I don't care that what you said was true, don't think I would've forgotten that you told me only to hurt me, you prick!" She yelled at him, before turning around and walking away furiously.

Scorpius couldn't move because he was too shocked. Not because she'd hit him, that was bound to happen someday. But because when she yelled at him, she had tears in her eyes, and that never happened during one of their arguments. No matter what he said, no matter how harsh his words were, she'd never seemed to care. She just seemed unbreakable to him. And now he realized she wasn't, and felt a pinch in his stomach thinking he'd made her look like that.

He then felt a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not your fault, mate. She just vented out her pain on you, since she held it back while that guy was still there," Damon said, as if he had read his mind.

Scorpius finally snapped out of it. He scoffed, "As if I cared, anyway."

Damon smirked as he was watching his friend walk away. He didn't believe him one second – after all, he had seen the look on his face when they heard Hannigan talk about Rose, and he had seen the look on his face just now – but he decided not to say anything.

"Hey, wait for me!" He called him while hurrying towards him.

xxxxx

Peter and Lena saw Rose enter the common room.

"Hey, how did it…" Lena started, but Rose rushed straight to the girls' dormitory, not talking or even looking at anyone.

"I'll go see what's wrong," she told Peter before going after her.

She slowly opened the door, cautious, and saw Rose lying on her bed, her face and hands on her pillow. She was shaking a little, probably because she was crying.

"Hey, Rose. What happened?" Lena gently asked her, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Rose raised her head from the pillow, said, "I'm stupid, that's what happened," and dropped her head again.

"I can assure you you're not. You're one of the smartest girls I know. Now, why are you saying that?"

Rose calmed down a little and moved into a cross-legged sitting position, "He was only interested in me because I'm a Weasley. And here I thought there was a really nice guy who liked me for me. See, I _am_ stupid."

It wasn't the first time someone approached her because of her family, but usually she'd notice almost right away. But this time, she really didn't see it coming. And _Malfoy_ knew before she did. She was feeling completely ashamed.

"I repeat, you are not stupid. We all thought he was a nice guy. You couldn't know. Now, tell me calmly what happened."

Rose told her the whole story.

"Hahaha, you're really something," Lena couldn't help but laugh at the idea of her best friend slapping one guy and kicking another within just a few minutes.

"Hey, that's not fun!" Rose rebuked, but was also smiling. "Ok, maybe a little."

"Still, I get the whole kicking the guy you were defending just a few minutes ago since, you know, he's Malfoy and he kind of deserved it, but why did you defend him in the first place?"

"Rather than defending him, I guess I was just angry at Chace for being such a despicable jerk, and even more since I didn't think he was one."

"I understand, but why didn't you let them fight? If they're both guys you don't like anyway," Lena reasoned.

Rose shrugged, "I didn't really think, I just acted."

"That doesn't sound like you."

"I know right. But it felt so great to let it all out," she was now smiling.

xxxxx

"Hannigan!" The two Potter boys yelled angrily when seeing him in a corridor, walking with two friends of his. Thanks to the Marauder's Map that James had stolen from his father's desk a few years ago, they'd found him right away.

The young man, who was laughing just a second ago, had now a surprised – and a little frightened – expression on his face as the two brothers were heading towards him. He just knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant interaction.

He quickly told his two friends to leave them alone, not wanting to be embarrassed in front of them. They obeyed. He looked around and saw that nobody else was there.

"James and Albus Potter walking alone together, that's a rare sight," he said once they were in front of him. James was the same height as him and Albus was a little shorter.

"Because it's rare that someone pisses us off that much," James narrowed his eyes. "Now I know why I've never liked you."

"If you're talking about what happened with Rose yesterday, she's the one who ditched me you know, so I don't under–"

"And we heard the reason why she did, so I wouldn't be proud if I were you," Albus cut him off. "Not from her, though. She's too nice for that. Someone who was passing by the courtyard at that time saw you."

"She wasn't 'too nice' when she slapped me," he muttered really quietly, looking away.

"What did you say?" James asked, already knowing the answer. Chace Hannigan didn't say a word. "What? Frightened? Don't worry, we're good people, we won't hurt you."

"Mostly because Rose wouldn't want us to, though," Albus added, "So, don't give us a reason to change our minds, ok? We heard you said she'll regret it, but I really hope it wasn't a real threat now, was it?"

"O-Of course not. I said she'll regret her decision because a lot of girls would've liked to be with me instead of her, that's all. Believe me!" He had his hands up, and was leaning against the wall, still being cautious. They were the Potter brothers after all; they were known to be nice guys, but you wouldn't want to fight them.

They seemed to have calmed down, and James even smiled slightly, "That's an awfully arrogant answer, but I'm fine with it. Anyway, do not mess with our little cousin anymore, understood?"

"Understood!" He nodded.

James smiled brightly, "Great. I'm happy we talked it out. We can leave now, Albus."

Albus smiled at Hannigan too, "It was a pleasure."

And they left like that. And Chace Hannigan could breathe again.

"Maybe we were too rough on him," Albus said to his brother, but didn't seem to believe his own words.

"Nope, we didn't even touch him. And now we're sure he won't do anything," James said and they exchanged a look, smirking.

Oh, cousinly love.

xxxxx

"You _threatened_ him?" Rose yelled at her two cousins in the common room. She just heard the story from another student.

"Threatened is a little too much. We just had a nice little chat with him to make sure he wouldn't mess with you again, that's all," James denied.

"That's the same thing! You just… sugarcoated it," she snapped. "I can't believe it. Why did you have to do this?"

"He made our little cousin cry, what did you want us to do, huh?" Albus said quietly, not wanting to embarrass her any further in front of the other Gryffindor students.

"I dealt with it myself. I didn't tell you for a reason. I did not want you to get involved."

"Come on now, Rose, nothing happened. They just wanted to protect you," Lena tried to reason her.

She crossed her arms, "I know. But what if you'd gotten into trouble because of this?"

"We're not stupid, don't worry. I'm Head Boy and he's a prefect, we wouldn't do anything unnecessary. We didn't even touch him."

"Fine," she finally calmed down. "Th..you."

"What?" James and Albus smiled.

"Thank you! Happy?" She snapped.

The two brothers looked at each other, then back at her, "Thrilled!"

"Oh, that's so sweet. I want a big family, too," Lena said. She was a single child and lived only with her father. She also only had one aunt that didn't even have children, so she'd never know how it was like to be part of some big family like theirs.

Albus put an arm around her shoulders and said, "Don't worry, if someone messes with you, we'll be there, too."

James did the same from the other side, "Right. Our cousin's best friend is just like our own cousin. You can count on us."

"Oh, you're so sweet!" Lena exclaimed, grinning.

xxxxx

"You know that I shouldn't be nice to you right now, right?" Albus told Scorpius while they were at the library, again.

"I know. I wouldn't be nice to me if I were you, either."

He nodded and got back to his work, "That's good you know, then."

After a few seconds, Scorpius dropped the book he was reading – or at least trying to read since he couldn't concentrate at all – on the table and said, "Won't you say something about it? I've been horrible to your cousin, and I heard Hannigan got the treatment he deserved."

"He got a warning because he needed one. He practically threatened her."

"But I made her _cry_," he snapped.

"Well I was taught not to shoot the messenger. You said the words, but she cried because of what Hannigan did. Of course, you were being a jerk to her, but she got it right back at you. So that's ok."

"You're too biased, you know that?" Scorpius joked.

"And you're acting like a masochist, you know that? Would you prefer that I call my brother, or what?"

"Well, of course not, but I thought you'd be angry at least…" Albus was known to be very protective when it came to his family, and especially when it came to Lily and Rose.

"I was at first, but then I saw you already were angry at yourself enough for both of us, which, I have to admit, surprised me a little bit," Albus gave him a look.

Malfoy shrugged, "Hey, even though I dislike Weasley, I also dislike making girls cry. And I certainly didn't think she would be one to do so."

"Of course, she always acts strong and doesn't show her weaknesses, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have any. So I'll just say this, you two can argue all you want – I don't like it since now we're friends but you won't change overnight anyway – but please, as a friend, try not to go overboard and make her cry again. Or I really will have to get involved."

Scorpius smiled, "Understood."

"Good. Now, let's get this bloody report over with," Albus took a book and started reading it.

"Right," he did the same as his friend, and this time he was able to actually read the damn thing.

xxxxx

On Monday, Scorpius was heading towards the Transfiguration class, when he bumped into Rose who was running. They both stopped right in front of the class's door, staring at each other. It was the first time he didn't know what to say to her. Should he be like always, and mock her a little, or should he ignore her and leave her alone? The image of her on the edge of tears came to his mind.

"What are you staring at, Malfoy? Move, I want to go in class," she spoke up, rolling her eyes.

And that made him go back to reality. He realized that, while he stopped because he was shocked to see her, she had only stopped because he was blocking the way.

He smirked, "Well, Weasley who doesn't come early to class, that's a first."

She sighed, "Just move, Malfoy. I don't want to be late." On her way to her class, she had realized she had forgotten her book and hurried back to her room to go get it. She had been fast enough to arrive here just on time, but no, Malfoy had to block her way in.

"That'd be really sad, indeed. Miss Perfect wouldn't be perfect anymore. It's tempting you know," he didn't move.

"You're such a child," she barked before pushing him away and entering the room.

"And you're really becoming violent these days," he said while following her into the room.

"Just around you, it seems," she retorted without looking back, going straight to her seat.

Scorpius sat at his usual desk, smirking. She seemed to be back to normal again, which meant he could taunt her how he wanted again.

"What got you in high spirits like that?" Damon asked him.

"Nothing. Everything's normal," he smiled, leaning back a little with his hands behind his head, looking at Rose probably telling Albus and Peter to hush because Professor Hoddes was coming.

"I see," Damon smirked, noticing where his friend was staring at.

Sometimes, he wondered if he really didn't know how he felt or if he just wouldn't admit it. But he sure as hell wouldn't ask him about it, he'd leave the whole talking-about-your-feelings crap to girls. Plus, it was entertaining to see his friend trying that hard to deny the obvious truth.


	5. Chapter 5

First, thank you all for your reviews, I'm really glad to know what you think about my story (:

Also, I'm going on holidays for a week and a half so I won't be able to update too soon, but I won't take too long once I'm back, I promise :)

Anyway, here's the fifth chapter, hope you'll like it!

xxxxx

* * *

xxxxx

**Chapter 5**

"Hey Scorp', I was wondering, why don't you try to be a little nicer to Rose?" The question came out of nowhere, while Scorpius was hanging out with Damon and Sicilia in the young men's dormitory.

Scorpius did not see that one coming, especially from _her_. He raised his eyebrow at Sicilia, "Since when do you care about who I'm nice to or not?"

Sicilia Grande shrugged nonchalantly, not taking her eyes off the book she was reading, "I was just thinking this would be the obvious way to become friends with her."

Scorpius snorted, "And what could possibly make you think I'd want to become her friend?"

"I just know you want to, even though you won't admit it," she said matter-of-factly.

"You've gone mad." Scorpius then looked at Damon and repeated, "I think she's gone mad."

"I don't know, mate. You did look kind of happy when she talked to you this morning," Damon pointed out.

"She didn't talk to me, she barked at me. And I wasn't 'happy'," he made a face.

"I don't understand why you're so defensive about it. You became friends with Albus Potter, why not with his cousin? Rose's pretty cool, too," Sicilia told him.

"_Rose_'s pretty cool?" He repeated as if he couldn't believe what he just heard, "One. This sentence is just wrong. Two. Are you besties now or what? Why do you call her by her first name?"

"We spent quite some time together for the Potions assignment and I came to realize she wasn't bad at all. So, I wondered why you hated her, and came to the conclusion you didn't."

"Sissy, I thought you were smart. She is Rose freakin' Weasley. The most insufferable, stuck-up, patronizing girl I've ever known," he retorted.

"That's what you're telling yourself," she argued, "Plus, she's just like that with you because you're always needling her. She's nice to everyone else."

"So this is my fault now? For your information, I tried to be nice to her, but she still acted the same way."

"See, I told you you wanted to be friends with her, or you wouldn't have even tried," she pointed out with a smile.

"I thought we should try to at least support each other's presence, but she didn't even seem able to do that, so I gave up. I tried, it's not my fault."

Sicilia rolled her eyes, "You didn't try enough. Of course she wouldn't change her attitude towards you because you were nice to second for about two minutes."

"We'll never be friends, end of the discussion," he concluded somewhat angrily.

She sighed, "Alright, I won't insist. But you have to know you're acting like a third year." She then went back to reading her book.

xxxxx

"This is finally over," Peter said gleefully while letting himself fall into the snow. They just had their last class before the Christmas holidays and were now hanging out near the lake, which was frozen.

"No more assignments for two weeks," Albus added, sitting next to his friend.

"If I were you, I wouldn't slack off too much during the holidays, the next term will be even tougher than this one," Rose said after quietly lying on the snow along with Lena. She smiled, looking at the sky, "But I have to admit, it's still good to have a little break."

"So, you're human too, I didn't know," Peter joked.

"Oh, shut up," she retorted, playfully throwing a snowball that went over Lena and right into Peter's face.

"Oh, you're going to be like that, huh?" He dared her and stood up.

Rose stood up too and began to run, avoiding the snowballs Peter was throwing at her. Lena and Albus were just watching the scene, amused.

"You suck at this, you know that," Rose mocked him and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh yeah? Then, I'll have to change of tactics," he said while taking his wand out.

But something probably went wrong with his spell since a giant snowball appeared on top of him and fell on him before he could realize what was happening. He was now totally covered by snow; only his wand and his right hand that was holding it were visible.

Rose, Albus and Lena burst out laughing.

"Great tactic indeed," the redhead told him.

"Since when do we use an actual man to make a snowman? Not that I mind, though. It suits Crawford perfectly," someone said from behind Rose.

When she turned around, she saw Scorpius, Damon and Sicilia. The two young men were smirking, while the Slytherin girl was laughing quietly.

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Of course he'd be there to make a mean remark.

"Shut up, Malpoy," Peter retorted through the snow.

"Come on guys, let's not fight, ok?" Sicilia tried to reason them.

"She's right. We're on holidays and we won't see each other for two weeks, so let's end this year on a good note," Albus added.

Now that he could move again after getting rid of all the snow surrounding him, Peter pointed his finger accusingly at Scorpius and said, "But he'b de one…" His mouth was still full of snow. He stopped to spit it and went on, "He's the one who started it!"

Scorpius merely smirked, "Come on Crawfy, they said not to fight today, don't be a child."

Albus and Lena quickly held Peter and tried to calm him down, seeing how he was raging.

Sicilia hit Scorpius' arm, "Stop it, Scorp'."

He looked at her, sighed, and looked at Albus with a little smile, "Fine, I'll won't pick up a fight." But he quickly added, "Well, I promise I'll try not to, at least."

Sicilia hit him again.

He gasped at her, "What now? That's the best I can offer. And stop hitting me."

"That'll do," Albus said and looked at Peter, "Right?"

Peter, who had finally calmed down, sighed heavily, "Right. As long as he behaves, I will too." He glared one last time at Scorpius.

Damon clapped his hands together, "That's settled then. Now, let's have some fun."

"And how, exactly?" Rose couldn't imagine having fun with Scorpius in the equation, but she decided to give the guy a chance, for her cousin's sake. And now was the best opportunity since she would be able to see how he was when he wasn't insulting her or her friends every two sentences.

"Don't ask Damon, he'll make us do something weird," Lena said.

"Tsk, tsk, you really have a low opinion of me, Lena," he acted offended, "I wouldn't make you strip in this cold weather."

"You pervert," Sicilia was shaking her head.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. Now more seriously, how about we ice-skate on the lake?"

"Here's a good idea. I'm in," Lena agreed.

"Yeah, and the ice is strong enough, I saw some people skating on it yesterday," Peter added.

"It's been ages since I didn't do it, I'm in too. You too, Scorpius, right?" Sicilia said with a smile.

Scorpius shrugged, "Why not, it would bring back memories." He had a little lake near his house and would go skate on it with Sicilia when they were young.

Only Albus noticed Rose had been silent during the whole thing. He placed his hand on her shoulder, "Come on, let's give it a try, 'k?"

She smiled at him, "No, thanks. But you go, I know you love ice-skating, I'll just watch you from here. I've got a book that I need to finish anyway, I won't be bored."

"As if I'd let you alone when we're all having fun," he refused.

"What's going on, Weasley? Scared of a little ice?" Scorpius smirked.

"I just don't trust you with us on ice, that's different," she glared at him. As if she would admit to him she didn't know how to ice-skate.

"Ah right, I forgot," Lena finally realized. "Do you want to do something else instead?"

"No, I'm fine. I don't want to spoil your fun," Rose insisted.

"Then go with us, I'll help you," her best friend smiled reassuringly at her.

"No thanks, I don't want to give Scorpius reasons to mock me," she quietly told Lena.

"Who cares about him? He could be bad at it too for all we know. Plus, I'm sure you'll be ok. Come on, for me," she tried to convince her.

Rose sighed, "Ok, ok, I'll do it. But if I make a fool out of myself, it'll be your fault."

Lena grinned, "No problem."

They all went on the lake and cast a spell on their shoes to change them into ice-skates.

Scorpius and Sicilia were already skating really quickly, enjoying themselves. Damon and Peter somehow started a race. Albus and Lena were staying close to Rose, trying to help her.

"Albus, I got this, you can go," Lena said while holding Rose's hand.

He nodded, "Call me if you need." He then joined the others.

"Ok, let's start slowly so you can get used to the skates," Lena told her while starting to move on the ice.

At least the others weren't paying attention to them, Rose thought.

After sometime, Rose finally started to actually enjoy it, "I think I remember how this works, now."

She did try to learn how to ice-skate with her family, but as soon as she'd try her own, she'd quickly fall. She finally decided a few years ago that it wasn't for her and that it wasn't worth trying anymore.

"See, I told you you'd be ok," Lena smiled at her. "Now, I'll let your hand go –"

But Rose firmly grasped her best friend's arm, "No, no, not yet."

Lena laughed shortly, "Ok, ok, just a little more. But you'll have to try it on your own, ok?"

"Yeah, just a few minutes more," Rose said, still not confident.

After doing a few turns, Rose finally said, "I think it's ok now."

Lena smiled and let go of her hand, still skating really close to her just in case.

"You're doing well, Rosie," she smiled.

Damon came to them and grinned proudly, "I won the race."

"Congratulations," Lena deadpanned.

"Now, go skate with me," he said, taking her hand.

"But I have to watch over Rose," she told him.

"Don't worry about me, I'll go join Albus," Rose smiled at her friend, pointing her chin at her cousin who wasn't far away from them. Maybe it was because she had better reflexes now that she was older, but she felt more confident about it. "Now, have fun, too."

Damon grinned, "Perfect. You're mine now." And he took Lena away with him.

"By the way, where's Peter?" Lena asked him, not seeing the brown-haired boy.

"He should be here any time soon. He's not really fast, you know."

Rose was skating straight forward to join Albus, when she heard someone yell. She stopped to look at what was happening: Peter was coming at her at high speed, and for some reason it looked like he couldn't stop.

"Rooooose! Help meee!" He yelled, his hands up in front of him in a placating matter.

She quickly took out her wand, pointed it at him and said, "Aresto Momentum!"

Peter did stop, but too late: he'd already pushed Rose's shoulders with his hands, and she was now skating backwards too fast for her to control what she was doing. And of course she'd dropped her wand in the process.

Thankfully, when Rose was about to hit her back on a tree at the edge of the lake, Albus cast a spell so she'd rebound on it instead of crash against it. It didn't really help, though: she was now moving forward, but it made her bounce so hard that she couldn't stop herself, still not able to have a good control on her skates. And she was getting dangerously close to the one she didn't want to get close to, especially in this kind of situation.

And that's how she collided with Scorpius Malfoy, and fell completely on him. Scorpius was now lying on the ice, Rose on top of him, her head on his chest.

"Are you ok, you two?" She heard Albus call them.

She raised her head slightly, only to see Scorpius smirk, "I didn't know you were the type to throw yourself at men, Weasley."

"As if I did _that_ on purpose, you prat," she retorted angrily, trying to stand up. But she fell right back on him. Could this situation get any worse?

"Easy, there. You're crushing me," he told her, "I guess I'll have to do all the work." He took her by the shoulders and slowly pushed her to the side in order to free himself. She was now lying on her back next to him.

He stood up effortlessly, "I feel better now." Then, he held out his hand at her to help her stand up.

She merely stared at it. The others were all next to them by now.

He frowned and dropped his hand, sighing, "You really don't trust me, do you?" He then looked behind her, and said somewhat coldly, "You help her."

Rose was frowning at his reaction, when she felt two pairs of hands helping her up. She thanked Albus and Peter, but couldn't stop staring at Scorpius. For a second, it felt like he was… hurt? And why was she feeling guilty because of _him _anyway?

She'd hesitated taking his hand just because she was afraid to lose her balance again, and crash on him, again. But she didn't say anything, why should she justify herself to him?

Instead, she glared at Peter, "What did you do? Did you cast a spell on your skates or something?"

Peter looked guilty, "I was too far behind Stones in the race, so…"

"So, you cheated. And lost control of your spell, to top it all," she rebuked.

"Sorry. And thank you, you know, for stopping me."

She sighed, "I wasn't quick enough, though."

"You still were brilliant! I don't know what I would've done without you," Peter exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah, you're sorry and thankful, we get it," Scorpius rolled his eyes, obviously annoyed with those two.

Rose glared at him. What was wrong with him, seriously?

"Anyway, everybody's fine, that's what's important," Albus tried to lighten the mood.

"Albus is right, let's not fight, shall we?" Lena added.

"Yeah, let's skate!" Peter agreed joyfully.

The others gave him a look.

"I won't use magic again, I promise," he added, his hands up.

Lena smiled, "Let's go, then." She took him by the arm.

"Hey I thought you were keeping _me_ company?" Damon yelled at her while she was going away from them with Peter.

"I'm not keeping company to anyone, I'm just enjoying myself," she told him with a playful smile.

Damon sighed, and looked at Sicilia, "I guess I'll have to take you, then."

He took her by the hand and they both joined happily the other two, but not without Sicilia chuckling and telling him ironically, "Right, because you're asking me so sweetly."

"Albus!" It was Suzy's voice. She was waving at him.

Albus smiled, giving a tap on Scorpius' arm with the back of his hand while staring at Suzy, "Watch over Rose for me, will you?" And he also went away, greeting his girlfriend.

"Hey, I'm not a child, I don't need to be watched over! And certainly not by Malfoy," Rose complained loudly but he just waved his hand at her, not even bothering turning around. She crossed her arms, "That guy really, he has no loyalty once he's got a girl."

"Let him be," Scorpius told her, then looked at her, "So, do you want join the others or do you intend to just stand here for the rest of the afternoon?"

"No, I'll join the others," she said, starting to walk towards them, but she quickly lost her balance as she had forgotten she wasn't wearing regular shoes. One hand on her left shoulder and another on her right arm kept her from falling.

"You're welcome," Scorpius said. "I guess you really do need to be watched over."

"I just didn't pay attention, it won't happen again," she said shortly, trying to hide her embarrassment.

That's why she'd given up on ice-skating: everyone in her family had tried to teach her, but she didn't know why, as soon as she'd slightly lose her concentration, she'd forget everything she was taught. She didn't know why though, she usually was really good at keeping her concentration and at memorizing things. Even when she was doing so well just a few minutes before, she still would have fallen after making two steps if Malfoy hadn't been there. Yep, she clearly was a lost cause when it came to ice-skating.

"Prideful much? You have the right not to be good at something, you know," he told her. "Now, let me help you," he extended his hand.

She frowned, suspicious, "Why would you?"

"'Cause then we'll be able to finally join the others and I won't be alone with you anymore," he answered.

"When you put it that way…" She slowly took his hand.

"So, you can trust me, after all," he smirked.

"If I fall because of you, I'll hex you," she said, not looking at him.

"You won't, I'm good at this," he told her and starting skating, pulling her with him.

When he saw she was doing well, he quickly speeded up, enjoying the feeling it gave him. Of course, it wasn't as fun as flying on his broom, but it still felt good.

"Hey, aren't we going a little too fast? We just have to join the others, and they're right here," Rose was starting to regret trusting him.

"Reynolds didn't make you go at that speed, did she?" It wasn't really a question, "If you want to really enjoy this, you have to do it like that."

He gathered more and more speed, and she followed – she didn't really have the choice anyway.

"You're a quick learner, you know. A lot of people would have fallen already."

"Then why are we doing this, if you knew I'd probably fall?" She couldn't believe him. He really didn't care about the others.

He smirked at her, "I had a feeling it'd be ok for you. And I was right. Miss Perfect, indeed."

"You were just lucky." And it was probably because she had been taught that like a hundred times already.

"By the way, you do know how to stop, right?" He then asked her.

"You ask me that _now_?" That guy was unbelievable. "I do, I think."

"Great, 'cause we're going to finally join the others, and I wouldn't want you to crash into someone, again. First, let's slow down."

Once they were slow enough, Scorpius led her towards their friends, and they stopped right in front of Albus and Suzy, without any accident. The others gathered around them.

"Not bad, Weasley. You're probably faster than Crawford, now," Damon said.

"I didn't really do anything, though," she replied.

Peter eyed Rose, seeing how she was still holding Scorpius' hand. When she realized it, she quickly moved it away, not noticing the weird look Scorpius was giving her.

"You know, when I told you to watch over her, I didn't mean to turn her into a pro," Albus joked.

Scorpius shrugged, "I can't help it when I'm on the ice."

"That, I can confirm," Sicilia said.

"Hey, she didn't fall, and now she's ok on ice, I think I did pretty well."

"I still can't believe she actually accepted to do this," Albus commented.

"Stop talking as if I weren't there," Rose said. "And I didn't accept anything. He just went full speed without asking me," she glared at him and looked back at Albus, "Never, ever trust me to him again. Understood?"

"It's not that bad, come on," her cousin said.

"You really have no loyalty," she retorted.

Lena stretched out and looked at the sky, "No wonder I'm tired, the sun is already setting."

"Right, let's go back," Peter said.

"What?" After all she did to get there. But they just ignored her and went on. At least, she could follow them on her own without any problem, now.

And that's how their last afternoon together of the year ended.

xxxxx

"I see you followed my advice," Sicilia told Scorpius as they were heading back to their common room along with Damon.

"What advice?" He asked.

"To be nicer to Rose. I guess it worked since she didn't seem to mind you too much at the end," she teased him.

"I think you saw wrong. She stayed with me because she didn't have a choice, I was going so fast she would've never handled it if she'd let go of my hand." And she quickly let it go once she was in front of Crawford, but whatever.

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, were you by chance going fast only in order to keep her by your side?" She joked.

"And why would I do that? To get even more yelled at? I'm not a masochist."

"Stop denying it. You want to be on good terms with her but your stupid pride won't let you," she insisted.

"And that's why I hang out with very few girls. You always see more than what it really is."

"Let him be, he's just in denial right now," Damon quietly told Sicilia.

"What did you tell her, Damon?" Scorpius asked suspiciously.

"To leave you alone, she probably won't change your mind anyway."

"And you're right." They were now at the entrance of the Slytherin Dungeon, "_Viperinae_." The door opened, and they went in.

xxxxx

"So, what will you do during the holidays?" Rose asked Lena, as they were sitting on her bed.

"The usual I guess, celebrating with my family, playing basketball with the guys of the neighborhood... But I don't think I'll go anywhere special," she said. "And you?"

"I won't go anywhere either. Well, beside to Albus' house but that doesn't count. We'll be able to see each other this time," Rose smiled.

"Of course, don't worry."

"I'll tell you when Peter comes over, if you want," she teased her.

Lena's cheeks turned a little pink, but she changed the subject, "Do you think Albus will invite Scorpius over now that they're friends?"

"Yeah, probably not happening. They may be good friends, but not enough for Albus to invite Malfoy over, especially during holidays where we're all there. My dad would totally freak out," she laughed at the idea.

"Well, they're already really close, so it might happen someday."

"Merlin forbid! Why should I put up with him even on holidays?"

"But you were getting along just fine a few hours ago, skating hand in hand," it was Lena's turn to tease Rose.

"It was that or falling. But he's still a selfish and arrogant prick."

"That's because you only see him as a prick. I'm sure that if you try to actually talk with him without ending up arguing you'll hate him less. Albus did it and it worked, after all."

"You only say that because now you hang out with his best friend. Plus, what you said implied that he wouldn't argue either, which is probably impossible. He always finds something to taunt me."

"That's the problem. If both of you wait for the other to change, it won't work. Someone has to do the first step, and then the other will eventually do the same."

"It's not like I want to be friends with him, anyway. So why bother?"

"Because now you'll probably often have to spend a few hours together since we're all friends. And hating someone is just too tiring. You don't even need to become friends, you just have to stand each other."

Rose sighed, "Well, I won't see him for two weeks, anyway. But for you and Albus, I'll try when we come back. But I can't promise anything."

"That's enough for me," Lena smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Everyone, dinner's ready!" Ginny Potter called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Comiiing!" Albus and Rose yelled back from Albus' bedroom. They went down and sat at the table. Their fathers were already sitting at the table, talking together.

"Ah, you're here. Could you got get Lily and Hugo, please? They're playing outside," Albus' mother told them.

"I already called them, Ginny. They should come in a moment," Hermione Weasley smiled at her sister-in-law.

Rose and Albus left them alone and joined their fathers at the table.

"Perfect, thank you Mione," she then got back to the stairs and yelled, "James! Quickly come down!"

But just as she finished her sentence, her older son poofed right next to her, making her slightly jump. He smiled innocently at her reprimanding face, "What? You're the one who told me to come quickly."

She sighed, "Whatever, go sit at table."

He beamed at her before going.

Hugo and Lily came into the house, running happily. Lily touched the front door and exclaimed, "I won! I get your dessert!"

Hugo sighed heavily, "Fine."

They both went to sit with the others. The food was on the table, and everyone began to eat.

Rose smiled. Sometimes, she would almost forget they didn't live together. It was clear they had two different houses, but they'd always be together during the holidays, at one place or another. The only thing that would change would be the decoration. All of their parents would be at work during the day, but they'd all have dinner together.

Right now, Rose and Hugo were staying at the Potters' house for a few days. As usual, Hugo was sleeping in one of their guest rooms (Harry and Ginny quickly realized they had to make a lot of space for family reunions, and ever since they had this house, these reunions mostly took place here), and even though Rose could also have a room on her own, she slept in Lily's bedroom, since they both liked it that way.

"So, I heard you found yourself a cute girlfriend, Albus," Ron Weasley smiled while eating.

Albus choked on his food a little, taken aback, but still responded once his mouth was empty, "Ah, yes."

"Ah, young love. Good times," he said nostalgically.

"Don't talk as if you were popular back then," Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"But I was," he exclaimed.

"Keep telling yourself that," Ginny mocked.

"But I was," he said in a pouty voice, while looking at Harry, silently asking for his support.

His best friend shook his head and smiled, "Of course you were, Ron."

"You're mocking me too, aren't you?" He suspected.

"A little," Harry admitted.

"Well, maybe I wasn't especially popular, but I did get the best girl out there, and that's all that matter," he smiled proudly.

"That, I agree," Hermione said.

"Took you long enough, though," Harry joked, remembering all the drama they went through before actually going out. "Anyway," he concluded and turned his attention back to his son, "Are you going to invite your girlfriend over during the holidays?"

And Albus choked on his food again.

"Guys, leave the poor boy alone," Hermione said.

"What? I'm curious about the girl my son likes, it's natural."

"I have to admit, I am too," Ginny added.

"She's abroad with her parents, so we won't be able to see each other during the holidays," Albus finally told them.

"Oh, that's a shame, we could use some new faces around here," Harry said.

"Maybe Ally can invite his new friend, then. He definitely never came here," Lily chimed in.

"A new friend? Who?" Ginny asked.

"I guess she's talking about Scorpius," he replied casually.

"Wait, Scorpius? As in Scorpius _Malfoy_?" Ron exclaimed.

"That's the one, yeah," he said without blinking.

"Didn't you have a detention because you fought again, this year?" Harry said.

"Yes, we did. And that's when he helped me when I was about to fall from a cliff. And then, we had to do an assignment together and after spending some time with him, I realized he was nice. So yeah, now we're good friends," Albus explained.

"It's great that you could put your mutual resentment aside, I'm proud of you, son," Ginny smiled.

"Aren't you guys a tad bit shocked?" Ron said.

"I can't say I saw that one coming, but that's all," Harry shrugged.

Ron's eyes widened as if he just had a revelation, "But if he's Albus' friend, that means, Rose is also hanging out with him."

"Don't worry, we are still far from being friends," Rose deadpanned, "Or even from tolerating each other, for that matter."

"That's my girl," he beamed proudly.

"Ron," Hermione warned him.

"But he's still a good boy, isn't he?" Ginny asked, worrying a little about her son.

"Don't worry, Aunt Ginny, he's not corrupting your son, if that's what you're afraid of. I just don't like him."

"She's really stubborn," Albus added as an explanation.

"Oh we know," Hermione smiled.

"Since when do they make students from Gryffindor and Slytherin work together, anyway?" Ron finally realized after remembering what Albus had said.

"That's because of Professor Hazebrown, she teaches Potions, she's new and wanted to be innovative I think…" Lily started to explain.

xxxxx

"Why aren't you wearing your jumper?" Rose asked Lily. They were hanging out in her bedroom. Rose had the infamous Weasley jumper on, and hers was purple with a big light-blue 'R' on it. Molly Weasley still made them for every Christmas, though she only made them for her grandchildren now, much to Ron's pleasure.

"I don't want to," Lily said.

"I don't even get why you care about how you look here. You're at home. Even James puts his on."

"James doesn't care about fashion. I do," she said. She then took her jumper and took a second look at it. It was green and the letter 'L' was white. "No, I really can't."

"Lena's here!" Ginny called her from downstairs.

A big smile appeared on Rose's face. She immediately stood up from Lily's bed and left the room.

"Lena, I missed you!" She quickly hugged her best friend.

"Me too, Rosie!" Lena Reynolds beamed at her. She looked around, "I always find it funny when I come to Albus' house to see you."

"His house, my house, it's the same. You're always welcome," she assured her.

"Indeed, you're even talking as if it was your house," Lena chuckled.

Rose laughed, "Come on, let's go upstairs. I have to give you your gift."

They came into Lily's room. Rose went look for Lena's gift.

"Hey, Lily, how are you?" She greeted the young girl with a smile.

"I'm great, the good side of having an enormous family is that you got tons of presents," Lily beamed, "Now, I don't need to buy clothes for at least a month. And you, how was your Christmas?"

"It was probably quieter than yours, but I guess it's pretty much the case of everyone else," she joked.

"You're probably right," Lily agreed.

Rose came back with the gift, "Here."

"The usual I guess?" Lena asked knowingly and unwrapped it. It was also a jumper, but hers was beige and had a dark red 'L' on it.

"Where's Albus by the way?" The brunette asked.

"He must be in his room with Peter, let's go see them."

"Peter's here too?"

"Yeah, he arrived yesterday," she said, already walking towards her cousin's bedroom.

Rose quickly knocked and opened the door without waiting for a response, exclaiming, "Hey guys! Look who's there!"

"Hey Lena," Albus smiled.

"Hey, Albus," she looked around, "Peter isn't with you?"

"Hm…" Albus hesitated, casting a sideways look at the other side of his bed.

"Why is he hiding?" Rose asked him.

"Well…"

"Oh, come on, what's wrong?" The redhead was getting curious and went to see by herself, followed by Lena and Lily.

When they saw him, they immediately burst out laughing. Peter's face and hands – and probably the rest of his body – were dark blue.

"That's not funny!" Peter yelled.

"Let me guess, another spell gone wrong?" Rose said, holding back her laughter.

"He wanted to change the colour of his jumper," Albus explained.

"I don't understand what happened," Peter said.

"How did you do it?" Rose asked him.

"Like that," he took the jumper with his left hand, and pointed his wand at it.

"Stop, I know what happened. The spell just touched your hand instead of the jumper. It's common sense not to hold the object while using a colour change charm." she told him.

"You're unbelievable," Lena shook her head at him.

"Don't you know how to make me go back to normal?"

"I do. But I don't know if I want to do it. Blue goes pretty well on you," Rose mocked. "Right, Lily?"

"Well, blue is a good colour. Though it may look bad when you'll wear your Gryffindor robe," the young girl said.

"Rose!" He complained.

"Alright, alright," she laughed and took her wand out, "_Colovaria Re__ver__so._"

And Peter's skin slowly turned back to its original colour. He looked at his hands, smiling. "Thank you."

"Seriously, what would you do without me?" She told the boys.

"I'd ask Lena," Peter joked.

"So I'm only the third choice? Talk about a best friend," Albus said.

"Seeing how you did nothing just now, of course you come after."

"But that was just too funny," Albus smirked.

"Talk about a best friend," Peter copied him.

"And what makes you think _I_'d help you, huh?" Lena asked jokingly.

"Because you're a nice girl?"

"Well, that depends with who", she replied.

Peter sighed, "Ok, I get it, I can't rely on anyone here. Nobody likes me."

"Hey, I helped you, you ungrateful prat," Rose hit his arm, but she was still smiling.

"Right. Thank you, Rose," he grinned at her. "At least one person who likes me," his brooding expression was back.

Lena rolled her eyes, "Oh stop it, no one believes in your little act."

"Really? I think I was pretty convincing."

"A toad would have been more convincing," she retorted.

"Hey!" He looked at the other three.

Rose just and Lily shrugged.

And Albus merely said, "Don't try to become an actor, mate."

"I'm sure I can act well, I don't really care but just to show you," he argued.

"Yeah, sure," they didn't seem convinced at all.

xxxxx

It was now New Year's Eve. Lena and Peter were still at Albus' house. There were also Albus' and Rose's grandparents and uncle George with his wife, Angelina and their children, Fred and Roxanne.

It was still quite calm compared to the other years. Indeed, Percy, his wife Audrey and their daughters were celebrating with Audrey's parents, and William and Fleur Weasley had taken a vacation to go see their youngest son Louis who had joined his uncle Charlie abroad to study dragons under his supervising. Louis' sisters couldn't come either: the oldest, Victoire, was on a trip with her fiancé Teddy, and Dominique was on a Curse-Breaker mission in Egypt for Gringotts.

The four 6th year students were hanging out in Albus' room.

"So, what are your resolutions this year?" Lena asked the others.

"I gave up making resolutions, they never last more than a few days anyway," Peter shrugged.

"I keep mine," Rose said.

"Yeah, right. And what were your resolutions for this year?" Peter asked her, suspicious.

"Working hard at school and try to be the best candidate for the Head Girl post next year," she explained with a proud smile.

Albus and Lena exchanged an amused look, and Peter rolled his eyes, "That doesn't count. You've always worked hard. New Year's resolutions must be something you new you'd like to do."

"Well, the year before I wasn't trying to be a good candidate for Head Girl, so technically, it works."

"No, it doesn't!" Peter shouted.

"Come on Peter, let her be. At least she doesn't say something she knows she won't do like us," Albus commented.

"Exactly," Rose nodded proudly.

"How about we find a motivation for us to keep our resolutions this year?" Lena suddenly said.

Her friends frowned at her, and said together, "Like what?"

"I don't know… Like a sanction for those who don't keep their promise."

"I don't like this, I'll definitely get the sanction," Peter disagreed.

"That's because you think like that that you never keep them," Rose shook his head.

"Then, my resolution is to practice even harder than now at Quidditch," Peter said.

"Of course you will, even if you don't want to James will make all of us practice harder," Rose argued.

"Ah! You said it yourself," Peter pointed his finger at her in victory. "This resolution is no different from yours."

Rose opened her mouth to argue, but quickly closed it again. He had a point on this one.

"I know. Let's all say a resolution, and then the others have to valid it," Albus suggested. "Something you wouldn't usually do even though it'd be good for you to do so."

Lena nodded, "I think that's a good idea."

Rose shrugged, "Why not?"

"Ok, but what would be the sanction?" Peter asked.

"Don't know. A dare. Like doing something embarrassing in public," Lena said.

"Let's say walking around in Hogsmeade a whole day with embarrassing clothes on. And we'll see what kind of clothes for each person later?" Albus suggested.

The others agreed.

"So, who begins?" Lena asked.

They all looked at the others, and Albus finally spoke up, "I guess I will."

"Great, so what's your resolution?" Lena asked him.

"I'll review my lessons regularly, and not only a few days before the exams."

Peter, Rose and Lena thought about his suggestion a few seconds and agreed to it.

"You've been telling us that since second year but never did, so it counts as a resolution," Rose said.

"Then, I'll try not to blow anything up during class," Peter said.

His friends looked at each other, and nodded, "Fair enough."

"And you, Lena?" Albus asked her.

Lena looked at the floor, embarrassed, "I do have an idea but…"

"But what? Just say it," Peter told her.

"Yes, we won't laugh or anything, if that's what you're afraid of," Rose encouraged her.

"Fine. If – only if – I have someone I like, I'd like to stop worrying about what could happen and just be honest with my feelings."

"What's gotten into you? That's surprisingly very girly of you," Peter commented, and then gasped, "Wait! Does that mean you already like someone? It's not Stones, is it?"

"Of course not! And I said _if_," Lena shouted back.

Peter narrowed his eyes, "Then, why are you denying it so vehemently?"

"Because I'm tired of always saying the same thing. And what if it was him, huh? Why do you care so much anyway?"

"I care because," he stopped for a second, "because I'm your friend. And as a friend, I have to tell you I don't like that guy."

"Well, Rose and Albus are my friends too, and they aren't saying anything," she retorted. "But it's not even relevant since I do not like Damon."

"Then, who?" The brunet insisted.

"Not your business."

"So you do have someone you like," he accused her. "Tell us, or we won't be able to know if you made some effort or not."

"Since it's a personal matter, she may not want to talk it to you guys, who talk without thinking," Rose chimed in, helping her best friend. "So, how about she tells only me?"

"Whatever," Peter was sulking, crossing his arms and looking away.

"That's fine with me," Albus said.

Lena smiled at Albus, and then at Rose, "Thanks."

"So the only one left is you, Rose," Albus told her.

"But I can't find something I don't usually do but should do," she said.

"You're incredible," Peter exclaimed, apparently already done pouting.

"Well, the usual ones won't work for me. I mean, I can't suggest anything about studies since you won't valid it, I help my parents when I'm home, I don't see myself as someone who's shy, I am nice to everyone but I can stand for myself when needed…" Surprisingly, she was enumerating this list without even sounding patronizing. She genuinely couldn't find anything.

Albus and Lena held back a chuckled while listening to her, while Peter whispered to them, "Is she seriously basically telling us she's perfect without even realizing it?"

This made Rose stop enumerating, "What did you say?"

"Maybe we should try to find something for you," Lena said.

"How about trying to find a boyfriend?" Peter mocked.

"I don't want to find a boyfriend because of a bet," she refused without blinking. But she couldn't help but add, "And I've already had a few, so it's not something unusual."

"She's tough," Peter admitted.

"I know!" Lena suddenly exclaimed, catching her friends' attention. She looked at Rose, and smiled a little, "Before, you said you were nice to everyone, but there is someone you're never nice to."

Albus smiled too, catching up, "Ah, right. You'll have to be nice to Scorpius Malfoy."

Rose immediately argued, "Hey, how can I be nice to someone who always mocks me, huh? I won't put up with his insults just because you're his friends now or because of a bet."

"I'm not his friend," Peter automatically said.

"Then, how about… Try to make your relationship with him better? If you genuinely try to be nice and not on the defensive all the time, but it still doesn't work, then it's not your fault. Just don't automatically start a fight with him when you're in the same room," Lena reasoned.

Rose sighed heavily, giving up, "Fine, I guess I can do that at least. I promised you to try anyway."

Lena beamed at her, "Perfect."

"_But_," Rose added, "Malfoy can't know I'm doing this bet. Or else he'll make it hard for me on purpose so I'll get the dare."

"Ok, we won't tell," Lena agreed, then looked at the boys, "Right?"

Peter held his hands up and said, "Don't look at me, why should I even talk to Malfoy in the first place?"

"I won't tell him either, I promise," Albus assured them.

"Fine, it's settled then. Now, how long will this bet last? An entire year seems too long, how about until the end of the school year?" Lena said.

"Wait, then it's easier for you than for us," Peter argued. "While we will have to make an effort not to break our resolution until the time limit, you'll just have to do yours before the end of it. That's not fair."

"I guess he's right," Albus agreed.

"Then, let's do this until the end of February, that would make two months. It's not too long for us, and it's short enough for Lena's resolution to be challenging," Rose said.

Just after they all agreed to Rose's idea, Rose's mother called them, telling them it was almost midnight and to go down to see the fireworks with everyone. The teenagers smiled and rushed down. The Weasley's fireworks were no joke.

When they went outside, they saw Hugo being chased by James and Fred, probably playing, while Lily and Roxanne were talking about how excited they were to watch the fireworks. Ron and George were checking one last time their devices, and the other adults were standing on the porch, waiting and keeping an eye on their children.

Then, a magical countdown appeared in the sky, and when it hit number 0, the real show started. A New Year had officially started.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Ah, Albus, Rose. I was lookin' fer yeh," Hagrid called them when he saw the two cousins hanging out outside.

"Hagrid, Happy New Year," they greeted him together once he was in front of them.

"Thanks, Happy New Year ter yeh too," he beamed at them.

"So, why were you looking for us?" Albus asked him.

"Ah, right. I got a surprise fer yeh. Come in abou' an hour at me hut. Oh, an' tell lil' Malfoy ter come, too."

Rose frowned, "Malfoy? Why?"

"I think he migh' be interested, too," Hagrid answered vaguely, "See yeh, then."

"What, even Hagrid likes him, now?" Rose exclaimed once their big friend had left.

Albus gave her a look, "Don't forget what you promised."

"Yes, I know, try to get along with Malfoy," she rolled her eyes.

"Exactly, let's see how you'll do then. You haven't talked to him yet."

"You said not to fight, you didn't say I had to actually talk to him," she argued.

"Always twisting my words," he joked.

"Anyway, I guess we'll have to find him," she stood up.

xxxxx

"Again, are you sure he asked me to come?" Scorpius asked as the three teenagers were walking down the hill to go to Hagrid's hut.

"Yes, he did. Believe me, I made him repeat it," Rose told him.

"And he didn't tell you the reason?"

"He just said he had a surprise for us," Albus replied before halting, noticing something. He smiled, "And I think I know why he asked you to come."

Rose and Scorpius looked at was he was staring at. Hagrid was in front of his hut, but there were also three hippogriffs. They were the ones they had approached during their detention: Spicytail, Salamander and Becky.

"So, that was his surprise," Rose smiled and rushed down, the two boys following her.

When Hagrid saw them, he grinned, "Ah, yeh're here. Jus' in time. I jus' got those brave guys ready."

"Ready for what?" Scorpius asked.

"For a ride, I thought yeh'd like ter try," he said. He smiled at Albus and Rose, his hands on his belly, "Consider this me Christmas gift fer yeh."

Salamander got close to Scorpius, touching him slightly with his beak, as if he wanted Scorpius to pet him.

Hagrid smiled and told Scorpius, "An' since Salamander seemed ter like yeh so much, I thought yeh should come, too."

"You want us to ride them? Are you sure?" Rose looked a little worried.

"Yeah, yer parents rode one when they were even younger than yeh. 'S no big deal, really. An' yeh'll love it."

Albus grinned, petting Spicytail, "We really can?"

Hagrid laughed, "O' course, that's why I told yeh ter come."

He suddenly lifted Albus up and put him on Spicytail, "C'mon, let's give it a try."

He did the same with Rose, even though she resisted a little, telling him to put her down.

And he finally put Scorpius on Salamander.

"Woh," the Slytherin said as he was being moved by the big guy.

"Hagrid, I'm not sure this is a good…" Rose started to say, but Hagrid wasn't listening and slapped the three hippogriffs' butts, making them run all at once.

Just a few seconds later, they all were in the air.

At first, the three students didn't know what to do, but once they were used to be on these beautiful creatures, they could finally enjoy this.

They flew above the lake, made a few turns, and finally heard Hagrid's whistle.

Albus was the first one to land on earth.

"That was awesome," he beamed as Hagrid was helping him down.

"See? Told yeh you'd love it," Hagrid smiled proudly. Then he looked up, "Where are Rose an' Scorpius?"

"They were right behind me when you whistled, so they should be here in a second."

But there were no signs of them. Apparently, the two other hippogriffs didn't want to come back just yet.

xxxxx

"Hey, why aren't we going back?" Rose worried, seeing how Becky was going even farther away.

"I think they want to play some more," Scorpius shouted back at her, Salamander flying next to Becky.

Suddenly, the two creatures began to dive really fast towards the forest. Rose and Scorpius yelled, seeing the trees getting dangerously closer.

"What are they doiiing?" Rose screamed.

"I don't know! But you'd better keep your head down," Scorpius shouted, putting his own head down in order to avoid the branches.

They thankfully landed without any problem. The teenagers carefully got off the hippogriffs as the latter bent down to make it easier for them. As soon as Rose and Scorpius were on the ground, Becky and Salamander went to the water source next to them and started drinking from it.

"So, they were just thirsty," Scorpius concluded.

"But why here? We were just above the bloody lake for Merlin's sake. It would have saved us some fright."

"Don't ask me. Maybe they like it more here, who knows," Scorpius shrugged.

"You actually might be right. I recognize the place, I went with Hagrid last time to search for the other hippogriffs," she said, looking around.

"Ah right, while we were being chased by acromantulas. Ah, good times," the young man said sarcastically.

"I wonder if Albus is with Hagrid now," she thought out loud.

"Probably. I saw Spicytail go back while these two didn't," he said, "I hope they'll quickly decide to go back, too. I don't like to stay around here for too long." He instinctively looked around, worried that something would come at them.

"Well, with these two with us, I don't think we're in danger," Rose said, referring to the hippogriffs.

"How long are they going to keep drinking, anyway?"

"I don't know, but the only thing we can do is wait," Rose replied, sitting on the ground.

Scorpius sat next to her, sighing, "Let's just hope we won't have to wait too long."

"Still, why Albus' hippogriff didn't come here?"

"Why, missing your dear cousin already? Or you just wished you weren't alone with me?" Why did that sound like an accusation?

She looked at him strangely, "No, I genuinely wondered why. Hippogriffs tend to move in pack, so I thought that the three of them would stay together." For once, she really didn't mean anything more than that, which surprised her now that she thought about it.

Scorpius looked in front of him, and raised his eyebrows, "Guess I found the reason."

Rose frowned and looked at the two hippogriffs. She now understood what he meant: the two were really close as Becky was nestling up against Salamander, making them look like a couple.

"So that's how it was," she commented, smiling.

Scorpius stared at her, surprised to see her smile like that. Of course, he'd witnessed her smiling and laughing heartedly when she was with her friends, but it never happened with him as close to her as he was right now, and let alone with nobody but him around her.

"Rose Weasley smiling in front of me, that's a first," he said out loud.

"Well, I usually smile a lot. There's nothing to be surprised of."

"There is. You're always scowling at me, it's the first time I see you letting your guard down around me," he said, "When I think about it, it's weird we're not even fighting already."

"I promised Albus and Lena that I'd try to tolerate your presence," she informed him, "and that I wouldn't start a fight with you without any reason."

"That's refreshing. You're almost likeable when you're like that, you know Weasley," he smirked slightly.

"As if I wanted to hear that from you," she deadpanned.

"And you're back to being yourself again," he noted.

She ignored him, and stood up, "They seem to be done. Come on, let's go back."

Scorpius stared at her for a few seconds while she was getting on Becky, pondering, before also standing up and hop on Salamander.

When they finally landed next to Hagrid's hut, the big guy and Albus rushed towards them.

"What took you so long?" Albus asked them.

"They decided to go to that river from the other time to drink," Rose explained once she was on the ground.

Hagrid put his left hand on his hip and pointed his finger at the two creatures with his right one, "Bad creatures, comin' back so late an' all, yeh made me worry." He turned his attention back to the teenagers, "Sorry fer that. These guys gave yeh a fright, didn't they?"

"Well, only when we almost hit one tree or two," Scorpius said.

"To be honest, I was more worried about you two being alone together. But it doesn't seem like you fought," Albus told them.

"It's kind of hard to fight when you're on a hippogriff that does whatever it wants after all," Scorpius explained.

Albus chuckled, "I guess it is."

"Anyway, I've had my share for the day. Let's go," Rose said. She smiled at Hagrid before going, "Thanks for the ride, I still had a lot of fun."

"I imagine you didn't become friends while being alone together, did you?" Albus asked rhetorically Scorpius while watching his cousin walk away on her own.

"What do you mean? We're best friends now, can't you see?" The Slytherin joked.

Albus chuckled and gave Scorpius a tap on his arm, "Come on, let's go too."

They quickly thanked Hagrid before following Rose's steps.

"Come back whenever yeh want, I'm sure these three will be real happy!" They heard Hagrid shout from behind.

"We will!" Albus yelled back, smiling and waving at the big guy.

xxxxx

"So, for this term, you will have a new assigned partner. Still from the other house, I saw how well it worked the first time so I'll keep it this way," Professor Hazebrown announced. "Students from Gryffindor, go take a seat while the students from Slytherin go pick their partner's name."

Albus and Peter were next to each other in the middle row, with respectively Rose and Lena in front of them.

"At least this time I can choose my seat," Peter said.

Scorpius, Damon and Sicilia were in the line, waiting for their turn.

Damon noticed Scorpius constantly glancing at the four Gryffindor students, and more precisely at some redhead he claimed to hate.

When it was finally their turn, Scorpius was the first to go. When he picked his paper, Damon discreetly coughed a spell behind his hand.

Scorpius read out loud, "Rose Weasley. Are you kidding?"

Damon smirked, proud of himself, while Sicilia merely rolled her eyes, fully aware of her friend's obvious prank.

The white-haired boy narrowed his eyes at Damon, quickly catching on, "Are you behind this?"

Damon feigned ignorance, "Of course not, I'm just amused by the result."

"Of course you are," Scorpius Malfoy merely said, knowing he couldn't really do anything about this. Professor Hazebrown would never believe him and let him pick another name.

But he suddenly stopped and smirked. While it was Damon's turn, he also used a spell, pairing him up with Belinda Pollington, a girl from Gryffindor definitely not blessed by the nature and that had coincidentally a big crush on the tall brunet.

He smiled in victory at the sight of his friend's defeated face. When their eyes met, Scorpius smiled, raised his eyebrows and shrugged, meaning, '_We're even, now.'_

Scorpius finally joined his seat, and was welcomed by a sweet "Is this some kind of joke?" from Rose.

"Thank Damon, he did this," Scorpius told her while sitting next to her.

"But why? I did nothing to him," she complained.

"He decided to pull a trick on me out of nowhere that's all," he scowled and then smirked again, "But I paid him back."

Rose, curious, looked for Damon with her eyes, and saw him sitting next to Belinda Pollington. She was already happily talking to him non-stop, while he was only nodding and forcing a smile, probably praying for her to shut up.

"Poor him," she said, still looking at the poor young man.

"What about us then? Don't forget we are stuck together for the whole term. Meaning we'll have to work together and spend several hours together."

"Ugh, don't remind me that," she made a face.

"I think it's a good thing," they heard Albus say from behind, amused by the situation.

"Shut up, Albus," they both turned around and barked.

"See? You're already in sync", he grinned.

"Haha, really funny," Rose said sarcastically.

xxxxx

"Come on mate, I was just trying to help you, and this is how you thank me," Damon Stones complained to Scorpius after the class ended.

Scorpius sat on a bench outside, "Are you taking me for an idiot right now? How being stuck with Weasley would possibly help me?"

"Like that you'll get along more quickly. It worked with Albus, why not with Rose?"

"Why is everyone trying to make us become friends anyway? I also hate Crawford and nobody says anything about it," Malfoy said while taking an apple out of his robes.

"You're right. I should've put you with Crawford instead," Damon joked.

"Merlin, no. At least Weasley isn't stupid," Scorpius exclaimed as he was brushing his apple against his robes.

"Anyway, I just thought it would be interesting. And I'm sure you'll thank me later," he grinned.

"Yeah, I don't think so," Scorpius deadpanned, finally taking a bite out of his apple.

xxxxx

"Why did we make that bet, again?" Albus sighed as he was working at the library, along with Rose, Peter and Lena.

"To oblige us to keep our resolutions," Lena said matter-of-factly.

"And it seems to work. You would've never been here right now if it weren't for that bet," Rose told him.

"Of course not. It's Friday night. I had a date with Suzy, but I had to postpone it because of this," he complained.

"Come on, you'll see her in about an hour," Rose rolled her eyes, smiling. Her cousin really seemed happy with Suzy.

"At least I managed to go through this week without any accident in class. Maybe I'll be able to actually succeed," Peter smiled.

"It's only the first week, don't be too confident," Lena warned him.

"And at least you didn't have any complications. How am I supposed not to fight with Malfoy now that we're even forced to work together? As if I didn't see him enough already."

"Well, Albus did become his friend because he was paired up with him, so maybe it'll work for you too," Lena reasoned.

"Never. I can tolerate him a little now, but I'll never be able to put up with him for more than an hour, and alone on top of it. And why did Professor Hazebrown have to make us do a presentation with our partner? We never do presentations."

Peter shrugged, "She seems to love doing new things," he then smiled, "But I think it's a good idea."

Lena glared at him, "You say that only because you worship her. We'll see when you'll be doing your presentation."

She switched her attention back to her best friend, smiling at her, "And I'm sure you'll be ok. You're Rose Weasley, the nicest girl I've ever met."

"Well, even the nicest girl in the world has her limits," she said.

"Don't be so pessimistic, or you'll end up having a dare," Lena smirked.

"Ugh, I should've never done this bet," she ruffled her hair out of frustration.

"Told you," Albus commented.

xxxxx

"By the way, now that we're alone you can tell me, how's it going for you?" Rose asked Lena once they were in their dormitory.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, your resolution," she explained.

"Oh, right," Lena's cheeks turned a bit pink, "It isn't really going anywhere. I can't bring myself to act different than usual around him."

"You don't need to act different, just… be more honest about your feelings."

"Yeah, since blurting out 'Hey, by the way, I realized that I like you' is so usual from me," Lena said ironically. "Talking about my feelings and all, I can't do that kind of things. You know I'm not like that." Having grown with only her father, she was more used to hang out with boys than girls, and became like that.

"Then, just don't overthink it. You'll do it when you'll be ready. Who knows, maybe he'll be the one confessing first."

Lena made a face, not convinced at all, "As if. Even if he noticed my feelings, which he probably won't, he'll never act on it. Why did it have to be him, anyway?" It was frustrating.

"Well, he _is _a good guy and one of your best friends."

Lena sighed, "Right."

Before knowing it, Lena was suddenly hit by a pillow. She gasped and looked at Rose, "What was that for?"

"To cheer you up," Rose smiled, before taking her pillow and hitting her again with it.

"Let me cheer you up a little too, then. You seemed really down earlier after all," Lena exclaimed, grasping her own pillow to riposte.

xxxxx

A few days later, Lena was walking in the hallway when she spotted Damon. Belinda Pollington was with him, and she seemed to be trying to convince him to go to the library together with her.

"We only got our assignment a few days ago, we don't need to work on it already," she heard him tell Belinda.

"But if we want to have a good grade, we have to work and practice the most possible," she insisted. She was clearly trying to spend the most time possible with him rather than truthfully caring about her grades.

Lena decided to come to his rescue. She put her hand on his shoulder and smiled, "Sorry, but he's already got plans with me."

Belinda looked rather unhappy. She crossed her arms, "What kind of plans?"

"The kind that isn't your business," the brunette answered. She then looked at Damon, "Let's go."

Damon grinned, his expression saying 'Sorry, but not really' to Belinda as Lena took his arm and pulled him with her, leaving Belinda dumbfounded.

"You know, you almost sounded like a jealous girlfriend," Damon smirked.

Lena chuckled and hit him on the arm, "Shut up and just thank me for rescuing you."

"Thank you," he obeyed, grinning.

Not far from them, Albus and Peter were heading towards their dormitory when they saw the Gryffindor girl and the Slytherin boy together.

Peter fumed, "They're acting pretty cosy together these days."

Albus cast a sideways look at his best friend, smirking, "Look at you being all jealous."

Peter eyes widened, "What do mean jealous? I have no reason to be. She does whatever she wants after all."

"If I were you, I'd quickly stop the act, before I lose my chance," Albus advised, pointed his chin at Lena and Damon laughing together.

Peter frowned a little but quickly began to walk again, "Whatever."

Albus stared at him a few seconds, shaking his head. They both were so stubborn. He then followed him, tapping his shoulder once he was next to him, "Come on, let's go."

xxxxx

"I love our Dungeon," Damon suddenly exclaimed once he joined Scorpius and Sicilia in their common room. He dropped into an armchair and put his hands behind his head, "It's so calm, and cosy, and most of all, clean of Gryffindor students."

"Why, did you get into a fight with Lena?" Sicilia asked.

"Of course not, she even saved me earlier. I'm talking about Belinda Pollington. Since she's become my Potions partner, thanks to someone I know," he glared at Scorpius, "She's a lot more forward than ever. Always asking me to work with her and all. I'm not dumb, I know she doesn't want to work, she just wants my body."

Scorpius chuckled, "That's the first time I see you complain about a girl wanting your body."

"Because she's Belinda Pollington. Even when she only stared at me from afar I was creeped out." He then stood up, "I think I need a shower. I can still feel her hands on my arms," he made a face, shuddered and quickly left the room.

"Did you really have to do that? You knew how that'd turn out," Sicilia told Scorpius once they were alone.

"He's the one who started it by pairing me up with Weasley to make me miserable without even having a reason," Scorpius retorted.

"I was wondering… I know you don't mind that much being around her. You probably even like it, even if it's just to taunt her. So, why are you so worked up about being her class partner?"

"Because I can't stand being around her anymore. I've hit my limit."

"Why? I had a feeling your relationship had gotten slightly better these days."

"That's exactly why," he said.

She frowned, "I don't understand."

"I can't do this anymore. Before, I could control it, but I can't seem to be able to anymore. I'm becoming crazy. I have to stop this. And for that, I have to stop being around her," he ranted.

Truth was, he knew he had a thing for her. And since quite some time. At first, he just taunted her because her perfect act was infuriating. Then, around his third year at Hogwarts, he realized he actually found their arguments quite entertaining. Of course, at that time he'd also fight with the rest of her little group, but it wasn't the same. In his fourth year, he started to see her as a girl. And during their fifth year, he was tricked into admitting to Damon – and to himself in the process – that he found her attractive. But that was all. She was attractive and entertaining. And still kind of infuriating. Nothing more, nothing less. He didn't even care when she began to have boyfriends, so it meant it was nothing serious. He therefore decided not to put too much thought into it.

But then, he and Albus Potter became friends, and their two groups of friends began to hang out together. And he was finding her even more entertaining. And more attractive too, especially when he saw her at the Christmas ball. But he still could control himself. If he had felt like that last year, he probably would have tried to play with her a little until he was bored of her. But now that he was friends with her cousin, he couldn't really do that. So, he decided to just ignore this and go on as usual: having fun taunting her, and being secretly attracted to her.

And it worked for some time. Until he'd been alone with her in that bloody Forbidden Forest. Until he'd seen her smile so beautifully in front of him. And now, he couldn't stop thinking about her. And for the first time, he didn't only want to tease her, but he also wanted to make her smile like that again. And that was it. That's how he knew he'd hit the limit.

He didn't lie when he told everyone he didn't like her. He really didn't. At first, he genuinely disliked her. Then, he just found her fun to tease and somewhat beautiful. And now, he still didn't like her. No, it was much worse than that.

He didn't like her. He _loved_ her. And that was something he couldn't accept.

He therefore decided to ignore her until those troubling feelings he was having would wear off. But that was already hard enough now that they were all more or less friends with each other, and now Damon had found funny to pair him up with her.

How could he forget his feelings for her now that they'd have to spend hours alone together? He was doomed.

He then went back to earth as he felt a hand on his shoulder, and heard a comforting voice saying to him, "You know, it's okay for you to feel that way."

His eyes widened and he looked at her. She was slightly smiling at him.

"Did I think out loud?"

Sicilia shook her head, chuckling, "We grew up together, and you've never be one to talk about your feelings. Trust me, after all this time, you don't need to say anything for me to understand you."

He nodded slowly. He began to think about what she'd just said. Okay? Was it really? He was Scorpius Malfoy and she was Rose Weasley. He only knew how to be mean to her, and she only knew how to scowl at him.

"Well," he heard Sicilia begin, "I admit you didn't choose an easy one, but I don't recall a little difficulty ever stopping you from doing – and thinking – what you want."

And like that, she sat back on the armchair she was previously on and continued to read the book she'd left opened on it, as if nothing happened.

He smiled slightly at her. She really knew him well, a little too well maybe. She sometimes was too good at reading his mind for his taste.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

This was weird. And awkward. And disturbing. And Rose couldn't focus at all.

Even though she'd intentionally left a chair between them, the mere thought of sharing the same table as Scorpius Malfoy, and with no one else around it, was disturbing.

What was even more disturbing was that he didn't seem to mind at all. He was just reading, writing down information, and reading again. He wouldn't even look at her, while she couldn't help glancing at him from time to time.

He'd only talked to her once since they were here, and that was when she'd joined him.

_He was already sitting at a table when she arrived. She took a deep breath and joined him, taking the seat after the one next to him, which made him smirk, "What, afraid of me?"_

_And she responded, "Being in the same room is hard enough, so let's keep a minimum distance."_

_He shrugged and said, "If you want. Anyway, I've picked these two books while waiting for you, read this one or go search for another one if you want, and when we're finished, we share our notes and see what other information we have to find." He pointed his chin at the book next to him before going back to reading the one in front of him, as if this situation was completely normal._

And that was all. Not a word since then.

This silent Scorpius Malfoy disturbed her. But she didn't even know why. She should be happy that he wasn't making things more difficult than they already were.

She couldn't take the awkwardness anymore. She therefore was really glad she'd finally finished going through the book he had picked for her, so she could stand up to go search for another one.

She quickly glanced at him one last time. He didn't even seem to have noticed she'd moved.

She was now trying to pick a book, her finger running along the row in front of her. But then, she sighed and slowly put her finger down.

"Why am I like this?" She whispered to herself. She shook her head, "Rose Weasley, you have to focus." She started looking for a book again.

But then she felt a hand slightly brush her hair from her left as it was reaching for a book in the row.

She turned her head to see who it was, and her eyes widened, "Malfoy?"

"Did you miss this one or have you already read it?" He merely asked, showing her the book in his hands.

She looked at the title. She hadn't read that one, and she hadn't even noticed it a few seconds ago, either.

"So? If you've already worked on this one, it'd be counterproductive for me to also do it," he went on since she wouldn't answer him.

She finally snapped out of it, "Hm, no. I must have missed it. You can take it."

He smirked, "Rose Weasley missing a book, surprising. Could it be that you're nervous?"

She scoffed, "Nervous? Why would I be?" She wasn't nervous. She was… disturbed.

He took a step closer, and quietly said, "Because you're alone with me."

She felt a shudder running down her spine, but didn't let it show and said confidently, "You got me. I was too busy thinking about leaving the sooner possible so that I wouldn't have to see your face anymore."

"And yet you kept glancing at me," he smirked.

Her eyes widened. He noticed? But she still kept her calm, "I just couldn't believe my eyes. Scorpius Malfoy sitting next to me and not even trying to taunt me."

He raised his eyebrow, "So, now you're complaining because I'm not teasing you?"

She crossed her arms, looking away, "Of course not. It was just… bizarre. I'd never seen you being silent."

He smirked again, "Missed my voice?"

She frowned, "What are you playing at?"

What was wrong with him today? Was that a new way to tease her?

"I'm not playing. I'm trying to understand you. I thought you'd be happy that we ignore each other and get this over with without it ending in a bloodbath."

"Well, yes. But…" She didn't even know why she was upset.

"But what?"

"I don't know. It's just strange, okay? I thought you were up to something."

He sighed, "Believe it or not, I'm not spending my precious time thinking about ways to make you miserable. I've got better things to do."

She thought about what he said before replying, "You can't really blame me for having the habit of doubting you, can you?"

He tilted his head, acknowledging it, "I guess I can't. So, do we work while keeping our conversations to a minimum, or do we call a truce?"

Rose pondered the question. The first answer that came to her mind was 'A truce? Between us? As if it could last more than 5 seconds,' but then she remembered her resolution. She had promised to try her best to get along with him. So she said, "Let's call a truce. It's too awkward to work together while ignoring one another."

He smirked, "Then, join me at the table when you've found another book, and let's share our notes."

He then left the aisle, smiling when he heard her say "Why do I feel like I've just made a pact with the devil?"

xxxxx

On his way back to the Slytherin Dungeon, Scorpius was in a good mood.

He knew this was probably a bad idea, and that it'd probably never work. But Merlin did he feel great now that he'd decided not to fight his feelings anymore.

And it was really fun, too. Her reactions were priceless.

At first, he didn't know what to do around her, so he just ignored her. Or at least that's what she probably thought he did. He was aware of her every move, including the sideways looks she was casting at him.

But when she'd suddenly stood up and disappeared between the aisles of the library, he couldn't help but go search for her. When he found her, she looked like she was having a small argument with herself. His eyebrows had gone up, amused by the sight. And when he saw the cover of a book he knew, he couldn't help but use it to tease her a little. In love or not, he was still Scorpius Malfoy, and teasing Rose Weasley was his specialty.

How his teasing her had turned into his flirting with her – and therefore catching her off guard, which was understandable – he didn't know. But he didn't mind, au contraire.

He had been able to see her reacting in a way completely new to him. And he was finding this quite entertaining. So, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. He also didn't care about what would happen next, he was just enjoying the moment.

And he decided that was enough for him to go on like that.

xxxxx

Rose walked straight towards her bed and sat on it, looking totally out of it.

Lena, who was lying on her own bed reading a book, frowned at her, "Rose? Are you ok?"

"What the _fudge _was that?" Rose merely said, as if she hadn't even heard her friend.

"What are you talking about?" Lena tried again to communicate with her. But since she still didn't get any response, she took her pillow and threw it at Rose's face, which of course surprised the latter.

"Hey! What's got into you?" Rose shouted.

Lena smiled in victory, crossing her arms, "What's got into _you_? You were ignoring me and talking to yourself like a mad person."

Rose looked now a little embarrassed, "Oh. Sorry."

Lena smiled slightly, "Don't mention it. Just tell me what happened."

Rose's eyes widened as she seemed to remember what was bothering her. But she only said, "Oh nothing. Just my first working session with Malfoy. So unbearable I went mad, as you see."

"What did he do?" Lena asked.

Rose looked away, "Nothing special."

"It doesn't look like a reaction you'd have to nothing special," she insisted, "You seemed quite shocked."

"He..." Rose seemed to be searching for words, "He was quiet."

Lena frowned, "Quiet?"

"Yes. He worked and that's all. He didn't taunt me or anything."

Lena raised her eyebrows, not really getting it, "And that's what's bothering you?"

"Yes," Rose replied, but her looking away a little made Lena think there was something else.

"Sure?"

"Well, yes. That was just weird. I'm sure he's up to something."

Lena had to admit her friend was pretty convincing, but she wasn't her best friend for nothing and knew she wasn't telling the whole truth. Nonetheless, she decided to stop digging and play along, "Or maybe he was just trying to be civil."

Rose snickered, "No, I can assure you that's not it. He just found a new way to tease me. But I'm not going to be fooled." She had her competitive look on her face.

Lena sighed, lying down on her bed, "You're so different from your usual self when it comes to Scorpius Malfoy, I hope you at least realize that."

"Well of course, because he's the only person I genuinely hate," Rose said matter-of-factly.

"Are you sure you really hate him?" Lena was starting to think otherwise.

"Of course I do. How else could I possibly feel about a prick like him?" Rose laughed at the idea, but she looked like she was more trying to convince herself than her friend. "Like I said, he won't fool me," she then added, before getting lost in her thoughts again.

"If you say so," Lena merely told her, shaking her head briefly before going back to reading her book.

xxxxx

Rose was heading towards her next class when she saw Malfoy nonchalantly sitting on a low wall, talking to some other Slytherin boys. She automatically looked straight in front of her and quickened her pace, trying to avoid having to exchange words with him.

"Are you avoiding me, partner?" She heard him say as she was going past him and his little group.

Looks like she didn't succeed. She stopped, sighed heavily, and finally looked at him, "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"We'll talk later," he first said to the three guys who were with him, before standing up and getting closer to Rose, his usual smirk on his face. "A little 'hello' would be nice for a start."

"And why would I have to greet you?" She argued.

"Because we're partners now. And we called a truth," he said matter-of-factly.

"We did, but only for work. I don't remember ever agreeing to act like your friend or something, though," she said coldly. She may have that bet going on, but it was too unnatural for her to be nice to that guy, and luckily her friends weren't there to witness the scene.

"You're always so cold, partner. Why do you hate me so much?" He asked her as if he was hurt, but his whole face was telling something else.

"I don't know, maybe because you're an arrogant and insufferable prick?" She snapped at him, crossing her arms. "Plus, you hate me as much as I hate you, so I could ask you the same thing."

"I already told you, you should stop assuming things about me, because most of the time, you're wrong," he told her.

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you, but this time I am right. Your being a prick is a well-known fact."

"And I wasn't talking about that statement of yours. Though this one is not entirely true, either."

She frowned, "Then what are you talking about?"

He smirked, "You're a smart girl, so I'll let you figure it out yourself."

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever. I don't have time to play guessing games with you. I need to go to class." She started to walk away.

"See you later then, _partner_." She literally could hear him smirking, but ignored it and didn't show any response, even if she was fuming on the inside.

xxxxx

She was now in her Ancient Runes class, and should be listening to Professor Klingbell, but instead, she couldn't stop thinking about what he said to her. That insufferable prick and his insufferable games.

At least, she was certain it wasn't that part of her statement that he could deny. But he couldn't deny the arrogant bit either. So what had he been talking about? She only said that.

She had said, word for word, _"I don't know, maybe because you're an arrogant and insufferable prick?" _Nothing else.

Then she remembered, _"Plus, you hate me as much as I hate you."_

Was he trying to say he didn't hate her? Impossible. Then why would he perpetually taunt her? She refused to believe in the boy-taunts-the-girl-he-really-likes nonsense. They weren't kids anymore, and even if that could apply to some people, it wasn't their case. She'd laugh in the face of anyone who would tell her that Scorpius Malfoy liked her.

Maybe he didn't hate her _anymore_, then? Like he didn't hate Albus anymore and had even become his friend. That could explain his somewhat failed attempts to be nice to her. But she hadn't done anything worth having him stop hating her.

She finally realized. He must have been talking about the _'as much as I hate you' _part. Like in a 'I hate you, but at least I can stand you a little and I'm trying to make things less difficult, while you can't even do that' way. Yes, she had to admit it seemed true, though he wasn't really good at showing it. But still, he must have meant that. Maybe he genuinely didn't want to constantly argue with her anymore as they had to see each other a lot these days, or had been talked into making some efforts just like she had been.

Or, he was just playing a trick on her, and she was falling right into it.

She won't be fooled. If he's really trying to be nicer, then good, it'll even help her completing her bet. But if this is all an act, she won't fall for it that easily.

Then, the bell started ringing, announcing the end of the class, and interrupting Rose's thoughts. Had she really just missed the whole class? How the heck did that happen?

xx

"What is she doing? Almost everyone came out of the classroom already," Peter told Lena as they were waiting for Rose. "Seriously, I don't understand people who take Ancient Runes. It's not called ancient for nothing, nobody uses them anymore."

"It's not about using them, but understanding them," Lena explained.

"Sorry, but I don't have to read very often ancient runes. It still seems useless to me," he went on.

"That's because to you, everything that is not related to Quidditch or a game seems useless. And that's why you always blow things up in class," Rose intervened. "Albus isn't with you?"

"Hey, I still haven't blown up anything this term," Peter exclaimed.

"And you shouldn't be that proud of this," Lena told him, before answering to Rose, "He's with Suzy. They'll join us later."

"Ok, so what did you two do during this hour?"

"Oh, the usual. We hanged out outside, Peter said stupid things, I corrected him..."

Rose laughed, "I see."

"Let's just go join Al' and Suzy, 'kay?" Peter told them, slightly irritated. He began to walk away.

"Come on, we're just teasing you," Lena told him with a smile while extending her right arm to wrap it around his shoulders since he was taller than her.

"Yeah, don't pout, Peter," Rose added.

"I'm not _pouting_. I'm a guy, remember?" He argued.

"And a very manly one," Lena said in a playful tone.

"Don't say it like that," he complained. "Ugh, I'm not talking to you two anymore."

The girls just laughed and continued to walk with their friend.

"Ah, I'm hungry. Why did it take you so long to go out of class anyway?" Peter complained.

"Hm... Because I had something to discuss with Professor Klingbell," she lied. She had just been too busy thinking about useless things to realize everyone was already leaving. "And I thought you weren't talking to us anymore," she quickly changed the subject to avoid being asked any further question.

"Ah, right," he realized.

"So brainless," Lena mocked.

xxxxx

It was late. Rose was searching for a book in the library, when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned around, and was surprised to see who it was. "Malfoy? What are you doing here?"

"Did you find the answer?" He simply asked.

"What answer?" She wasn't following him.

"About what I meant earlier. Did you figure it out?"

She looked away, "Well, sorry but I had better things to do than thinking about that."

He smirked, "Really? Because it seems you're lying right now."

"Why would I?" She lied again.

He took a step closer and leaned in a bit so his face would be at the same level as hers, and said, "Because you don't want to admit you spent the whole day thinking about me."

She scoffed, "You wish."

"So, did you get the answer, or do you want me to help you?" He insisted.

"I have no answer and don't want any," she snapped. "Now, leave me alone."

She started to leave, but stopped when she heard him call, "Why? Are you afraid?"

She turned around and looked straight at him, "I'm not afraid of you."

He smiled, "I know. I meant afraid of the answer I'd give you."

"I don't care about your bloody answer. I told you I wouldn't play guessing games with you," she was losing her calm.

"Fine, then let me end this game and tell you the answer," he said.

"I don't want to hear it!" She yelled, obviously forgetting where she was at the moment.

He chuckled, "You're really stubborn. If you don't want to hear it, I guess I'll just have to show you, then."

He was now slowly walking towards her, while she was going backwards to keep the same distance between them. He kept walking, looking and smirking at her. She finally hit the wall. There was no escape anymore.

"No. No. Stop walking," she ordered him. But he ignored her and continued to come closer and closer.

"Don't come closer, please," she begged him. Still no response.

"I said STOP!" She finally yelled from the top of her lungs.

And before she could understand what was happening, everything was dark. She looked around, lost, and finally recognized the place. She was in her bed in the Gryffindor girls' dormitory. Was that all a dream?

Someone turned on a light.

"Rose?" She heard a sleepy Lena call her. Her friend was rubbing her eyes, keeping them half-closed since she wasn't used to the light yet. "Are you ok? I heard you scream."

So it really was a dream, she realized.

She looked at her best friend and smiled a little, "Yeah, sorry. I just had an unpleasant dream."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No, no. Don't worry, it was nothing. Go back to sleep," she assured her.

Lena seemed to think about it for a few seconds before finally agreeing, "Fine. I'll turn off the light then. 'Night." She did as she said, and lied down again, falling asleep almost immediately.

Rose smiled at her friend, before also moving back into a sleeping position, since she had straightened up as she'd woken up before.

Why did she have such a dream, anyway? That guy was already pestering her enough during the day, and now he showed up even in her dreams. So annoying.

She tried not to think about it anymore, and most of all, she tried not to think about the meaning this dream could have. Thankfully, she fell asleep quickly, letting her forget about that, at least until the next morning.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

Stupid dream. Stupid Malfoy. And stupid Miss Hazebrown with her stupid assignments that started it all.

Rose seriously had to make that dream stop popping up in her mind. She therefore decided to make things clear with Malfoy.

"Hey, partner. You're early tonight, did you want to see me that badly?"

Speak of the devil. And Merlin he was good at infuriating her with a mere sentence.

She scoffed at him, "I'm usually early when I have an appointment, even if it is a really annoying one."

"Still cold I see. I believe we're here for work, so doesn't our truce apply right now?"

"We're not working yet," she retorted.

"Let's go, then. I wouldn't want to waste your precious time. And mine either," he said, already heading towards the library. While starting to open the door, he added, "Mostly mine, in case you wondered."

She just sighed and followed him in. They went straight towards the alleys since they had to pick some books to study. Rose went in the L alley, but stopped when she noticed Malfoy was still right behind her.

"Why are you following me?" She asked him in a low voice.

"I just thought that, as partners, we should choose the books together."

She narrowed her eyes, "Since when are you that cooperative? Don't you dislike being around me?"

"You're the uncooperative one, not me," he pointed out, "And you still haven't figured it out by now?"

"Figured out what?" She said in a slightly shaky voice, remembering once again the dream she had.

"What I meant the other day," he answered simply.

"Oh, right, I'd forgotten about that," she lied. But it was good he'd brought it up himself, so she could finally clear things out and forget about it, "So what, were you saying you don't hate me that much?"

He looked surprised by her response for about two seconds, and then chuckled, "Is the thought of me not hating you at all that unrealistic to you?"

"Yes," she automatically answered.

He scratched his head and let out a dry laugh, "Of course it is."

She frowned at his reaction. Why did he seem so bitter about it?

She then mentally slapped herself, 'No, no, no. Do not start to deduce strange things out of this. You're just confused because of your dream. That's all.'

"Anyway, what I meant was that, since we called a truce and all, I decided to stand your presence, and was hoping you'd try to do the same. This assignment is already tiring enough as it is, so let's not waste our stamina at arguing and being on the defensive every time we see each other," he explained, oblivious of the inner fight she had been having a few seconds ago.

She suddenly felt relieved. He finally confirmed she was just overthinking it, and she now could finally let go of the weird thoughts that unpleasant dream had brought to her mind.

Now in a good mood, she smiled slightly, "Fine, I'll try harder to go against my instincts telling me to hex you every time you'd open your mouth. I guess it's just harder than I thought it would be."

He lift an eyebrow and said ironically, "How sweet of you."

She crossed her arms and said, "Well, that's the sweetest I can get around you."

"I'd like it if you could get rid of your coldness at least a little, but I guess I'll have to settle with this for now," he told her before starting to search for a book in the alley. He picked one of them, and showed it to her, "I think this one would be interesting, what do you think?"

Rose nodded, "It was the one I wanted to pick, actually."

He smirked, "I guess great minds really think alike."

She wanted to scoff at the idea of him being a great mind, but she had to admit he was far from being an idiot, and she did just promise to make an effort, so she restrained herself. Instead, she said, "I also have another one already in mind, I'll go take it."

"Fine, I'll go find a table where to sit then," he replied, surprisingly leaving her alone without arguing.

Maybe he really was trying to be nice to her. But she still couldn't help being wary of him. It was like her second nature, after all.

Once she had picked her book, she joined Scorpius. And this time, she sat right next to him.

He looked at her, a little surprised.

She opened the book, and was looking at it when she said, "If you can let aside our issues and work seriously, there's no reason I can't."

He chuckled, "Such a competitive mind. But I'm fine with it."

Genuine or not, Rose had to admit it was pleasant to work without fighting every two minutes. Maybe she'll really try to be less defensive from now on.

xxxxx

On Friday, after their Potions lesson which was the last class of the week, they all decided to go hang out outside since the weather was surprisingly good for the season. Only Albus wasn't there since he had a date with Suzy. Now that Rose was thinking about it, why did they even hang out together when Albus wasn't even there? He usually was the one suggesting to the Slytherins to come with them, but now they just came along as if it was an habit.

"Finally over. This class is the worst," Damon let out while letting himself drop on the grass.

"You say that only because you don't like your partner," Lena pointed out.

"Of course. She's just so sticky and annoying," he made a face.

"Next time, think about the consequences before playing a prank on someone," Rose told him. "Especially when it involves someone innocent. It's just fair for you to be punished."

"Hey, from what I see, your condition isn't as bad as mine," he argued.

"I have to admit he's right. I may have been a little too mean on this one," Scorpius said, but not without smiling, still amused by his poor friend's situation.

"Why don't you make her not like you anymore?" Lena suggested.

"You know that's impossible, I can't simply turn off my natural sexiness," he replied.

"And I thought Malfoy was arrogant," Peter scoffed.

"How long are you guys going to talk about that? It's done now anyway, so deal with it," Sicilia commented.

"She's right, when Rose and Scorpius aren't complaining or arguing, you're the one taking over. I feel like we're always talking about the same things," Lena said.

"I don't complain that much," Scorpius denied.

"I don't anymore, either," Rose added.

"Now that you mention it, it's true. You also argue less. Could it be that being partners improved your relationship?" Lena realized.

"See, I knew it," Damon exclaimed proudly.

"Yeah, we'll soon be inseparable. Right, partner?" Scorpius put his arm around Rose's shoulders while grinning.

She quickly moved it away, "Let's not go overboard, shall we, _partner_?"

"That's her way of showing affection," Scorpius explained to the others.

"Only with you then," Peter snorted. He didn't like how cocky that twat was acting, and how Rose wasn't even saying anything about it, probably because of the bet they'd made.

Scorpius tried not to show his irritation and quickly smirked, "Yep, that's how special I am."

"Yeah, you're the only one she hates. Very special, indeed," Peter retorted. He also simply hated the guy and loved to put him in his place, Rose involved or not.

"Peter, that's enough," Rose told him. "I can speak for myself. And please don't start to act like Albus and James, those two are already enough."

"Maybe you have to be friendly around him, but I don't."

Scorpius frowned at Peter's remark, "What do you mean she hasto be friendly with me?"

Peter and Rose realized he'd nearly revealed the bet they were having, but Rose didn't let it show and quickly explained, "Since we called a truce."

"Something I would never be able to do, by the way. You're really strong, Rose," Peter said.

"As if I'd want to call a truce with you, anyway," Scorpius snapped.

While those three were arguing, their three other friends were just watching the scene.

"Why does it seems like a love triangle scene?" Damon asked jokingly Sicilia.

"Perhaps because it is one?" Sicilia said with a hint of humour.

"Or at least one of them think this is," Lena added. After noticing the slightly surprised look the other two were giving her, she said, "What? You don't need to be his close friend to notice it. Heck, even Peter knows, but probably without being aware of knowing since that boy doesn't have a brain."

Sicilia had to give her that. Her childhood friend wasn't really subtle anymore.

"Anyway, let's stop this, it's becoming boring to watch," Damon declared. Scorpius and Peter were the ones arguing while Rose was now mostly listening.

Lena started to ask him how, but was interrupted by him saying loudly, "Lena, I need a huuug!" And then, he hugged her.

Scorpius and Peter stopped arguing and Rose switched her attention towards her best friend, all confused about the sudden exclamation.

Scorpius and Rose both frowned, not understanding what they missed, while Peter looked pissed.

"What's with you Slytherins, seriously?" He exclaimed, annoyed.

Damon smiled in victory before letting go of Lena. He turned around and smirked at Peter, "We were tired of watching you guys argue, so I thought about that as a diversion."

Peter was about to start another argument, but Albus and Suzy arrived.

"What's going on here?" Albus asked.

"The usual," Lena told him.

"Some arguing and the others trying to stop them?" Suzy asked knowingly. She was starting to be used to the dynamics of their group, and she had to admit it could be quite entertaining sometimes. She'd usually hang out only with students from her own house, so it was kind of refreshing to be around students from not one, but two other houses at the same time.

"Ding ding ding," Damon informed her she was right. "But it's over now so it's ok."

"I really can't leave you without surveillance more than a few minutes, can I?" Albus joked.

"Right, because you're such a wise man yourself," Rose rolled her eyes at him, smiling.

xxxxx

"So, why did you even get angry at Scorpius this afternoon?" Lena casually asked Peter.

They were sitting in front of the fireplace. Rose was doing her homework and Albus was talking to James.

"I didn't get angry, I just wanted to put him in his place," he simply replied.

"Well yes, but why? I mean he was just joking, and you know Rose can perfectly defend herself anyway."

He shrugged, "We have that bet going on, so she couldn't, and I couldn't just let Malfoy play with her like that."

"Why? Do you like Rose or something?" Lena laughed awkwardly.

Peter frowned, "How did you come to _that _conclusion?"

Of course, Rose was very important to him as they were friends since their first year, but he saw her more like a sister, while what he felt for Lena was completely different. But still, he couldn't help being annoyed when that jerk was too close to her, convinced he was up to something. And now that Albus was Malfoy's friend, he had to be the one with the protective mode on.

"I don't know. It seemed like you hated Scorpius being close to her, so..."

"I hated even more that prick hugging you, though," he mumbled, remembering how Stones had taken advantage of the situation back then.

"What did you say?" She asked him.

"Nothing," he lied. "Anyway, I can assure you I don't like Rose."

She then chuckled, "I know, I was just teasing you. She's way out of your league anyway."

"That is not true, I'll have you know I'm a very fine man," he argued.

She ruffled his hair, "Of course you are. You're just so easy to tease."

"Stop mocking me," he complained.

"Alright," she said between two laughs, "I'll stop."

Truth was, even if she never truly believed he liked Rose, the thought of this possibility in a tiny part of her mind had been bothering her since the afternoon. She was glad to have asked him about it, and that he wasn't really good at connecting the dots.

xxxxx

Our four Gryffindor friends were sitting at a table of the Three Broomsticks Inn, enjoying their butterbeers.

"I like that. Hanging out together, just the four of us," Peter said.

"You're saying that as if we didn't do it anymore," Lena remarked.

"We don't. Not just the four of us, I mean."

"We still do it all the time in our dormitory," Rose said.

"Well, yes. But it's not the same. When we're outside there's always someone else with us."

"About that..." Albus made a sorry face.

"What? Who's coming now?" Peter was already disappointed.

"Suzy's coming with her friend."

Peter felt relieved, "Oh, fine then. Suzy's ok, of course. And who's her friend?"

"Well..."

"Hey guys!" They heard Suzy call them.

"No wonder you kept quiet about it," Rose shook her head slightly at her cousin.

Peter and Lena became curious and turned around to see who was with her, and their eyes widened. "Petunia?" They both said.

"What is she doing here?" Lena whispered angrily to Albus.

"You could have at least told us beforehand," Peter added in the same manner.

It wasn't like they had a bad breakup – if you can even call that a breakup since they'd never been a in real relationship – but Peter hadn't talked to her since then, so it was kind of awkward. And Lena, well, she just couldn't help but dislike the girl.

"Sorry, we're a little late," Suzy apologized once they were close to their table, after having ordered their butterbeers. She went and sat next to Albus.

"Hello, everyone," Petunia greeted them quietly.

She gave off a whole different feeling that the last time they saw her there. She sounded less obnoxious and more shy than before. Probably because she felt a little awkward about the situation.

Albus and Rose smiled at her, "Hey."

Petunia smiled back at them before looking at the other side of the table, and by the look of their faces, she concluded, "I assume you didn't know I was coming?"

"Albus, why didn't you tell them?" Suzy slightly rebuked.

"I was about to tell them, but you arrived before I could," he said as a poor excuse.

"Well, maybe I should just go join Carolina and Tara for their shopping session," Petunia said.

"Of course not," Albus said, "They were just surprised, I'm the one at fault. But it's ok, right guys?"

Lena and Peter shook their head at the same time. Peter smiled, "Of course it's ok, sorry."

Petunia smiled and looked at Lena.

"Why woudn't I be ok with it?" Lena eventually said. As long as she doesn't seduce Peter again, that is.

Petunia grinned, "You're all so sweet." She immediately sat at the table, the only seat avaible being the one next to Peter. "I was afraid this was going to be awkward given our..." she cast a sideways look at Peter, "History. But I'm glad it's not."

"It's not like we fought or something," Peter told her.

"You're right. I was silly," she giggled.

Now they could recognize the girl they'd met a few months ago, but she was still more likeable than before.

At the sight of the two girls' full pints, the boys decided it was time to refill theirs, and therefore left the table for a few minutes.

Petunia started to look around, as if searching for someone, "Scorpius Malfoy and his friends aren't there?"

"No, why?" Lena frowned. What, was she trying to seduce a Slytherin now?

"Oh, because you seem to spend a lot of time together these days, that's all," Petunia smiled.

Ok, maybe she wasn't.

"We even spend too much time together," Rose automatically spat.

"Ah, right. Suzy told me you two still don't really get along."

"That's an understatement," Rose said.

"I don't understand. He's handsome, athletic, and smart. I bet a lot of girls are jealous of you being his partner right now. I'm clearly one of them," she raised her hand as a joke.

Or maybe she was? Lena couldn't follow that girl.

"That doesn't change the fact that he's a prick," Rose went on.

"Well, I never really talked to him so I can't tell," Petunia said. "But Suzy told me he was a pretty decent guy."

"That's because she's his friend's girlfriend," Rose joked.

"And you're his friend's cousin," Suzy chuckled. She then looked at Petunia, "I didn't know you were interested in Scorpius, by the way."

So Lena wasn't the only one confused about that girl's intentions.

"I'm not interested, just curious," Petunia said. "You know I'm curious by nature."

"More like addicted to gossips," Suzy joked.

Petunia laughed, "That's another way to put it, yes."

So, was she on a guy-hunt or not?

"Oh and Lena, you're really close to his best friend, Damon Stones, aren't you? He's a real hunk, too."

"We're friends, that's all, if that's what you want to know."

"And how could you stay friends with a guy like that? He's just so dreamy," Petunia squeeled.

'Because I like someone else, who happens to be your kind-of-ex-boyfriend, but I won't tell you that,' Lena thought. But what she said out loud was, "He's too much of a player."

"That's what you're telling yourself, but I'm sure you're just waiting for him to profess his love to you," Petunia smirked.

Ok, so, not on a guy-hunt, but clearly on a gossip-hunt. She'd probably make a perfect reporter for the _Witch Weekly _later.

"We're back," Albus announced as he and Peter were taking their sit back. "So, what were you talking about?"

"About the fact that Lena secretly loves Damon, but doesn't want to admit it because she's afraid of him breaking her heart," Petunia summarized.

"What?" Peter exclaimed loudly.

"I. Am. Not in love with Damon. She's saying nonsense," Lena tried to explain.

"See, totally in denial," Petunia went on.

"Petunia, stop it," Suzy gently rebuked her friend, then looked at the guys, "Don't mind her, she just reads far too much romantic novels."

"_Thank you_," Lena said, happy someone was trying to help her.

"Of course. As if someone as smart as Lena would fall for that womanizer," Peter laughed awkwardly.

Lena slightly frowned at him. Was he being jealous right now? Or merely protective just like he'd been towards Rose a few days ago?

That was frustrating, why was figuring out someone else's feelings so much more complicated when it came to the one you liked? That was just unfair.

xxxxx

"This was a good afternoon," Rose said to her three best friends as they were on their way back to Hogwarts. Suzy and Petunia had already joined their girl friends from Ravenclaw.

"I agree. We should do that more often," Peter said, spinning around.

Lena gave him a look, "So you can get wasted more often?"

He stopped, "I'm not wasted." He then stumbled, "Woh, I'm dizzy."

His friends laughed.

"Why were you spinning around in the first place anyway?" Albus mocked.

He seemed to really think, then frowned, "I don't know."

Lena rolled her eyes, chuckling, "Of course you don't, you brainless boy."

They continued to walk.

"But still, I was so surprised when I saw Petunia," Peter said. "You could've at least warned us, Albus."

"I already apologized for that. Plus, it went well in the end."

"I have to admit she's a little more likeable now," Rose said.

"When she's not hunting for gossips, that is," Lena added.

Rose chuckled, "Right."

xxxxx

Rose was on her way to the library when she felt someone tap her left shoulder. She turned to see who it was, but no one was there.

"Talk about a smart girl," he mocked her once she went past her from her right.

She rolled her eyes, "I wouldn't have thought someone would still do that childish prank at our age."

Scorpius smirked, "And yet, you fell for that childish prank."

She rolled her eyes and started to walk again, Scorpius going along with her.

That was kind of bizarre, walking next to him like that.

"So, how was your afternoon in Hogsmeade?" He asked her.

She frowned at his attempt to be friendly, but still answered, "Great. Probably because you weren't there."

"Oh, so you missed me," he concluded.

"Didn't you hear me? I said the very contrary."

"You thought about me when you were there, so you missed me, even if you won't admit it."

His ability to twist her words was really infuriating.

She sighed, "Let's just walk to the library silently, ok?"

"You're changing subjects, meaning I'm right."

"No, I'm just too tired to bother aguing with you about such trivial things," she retorted.

He held his hands up, "Fine, I'll stop."

Well, that was easy.

"And how was your afternoon?" Rose asked after a few seconds. Walking silently next Scorpius Malfoy was even more bizarre than talking to Scorpius Malfoy while walking.

Scorpius raised his eyebrows, surprised. But he didn't make a remark about it.

"A little boring. Probably because you weren't there," he replied in the same manner as she did before.

She didn't let her surprise show and smirked instead, "Oh, so you missed me."

"Of course," he told her without blinking.

"What?" Even if she should have seen that one coming, she hadn't.

"I strangely got used to our loud afternoons when we're all together. To be honest, it felt a little weird not to have anyone raise their voice around me for a whole day," he said.

Oh, so that was it. He missed the whole gang. Wait. Why did she feel a little disappointed?

Before she could go further in her thoughts or even reply to him, she realized they were in front of the library, and that he was already opening the door. She followed him inside, and they quickly started working. A whole hour passed without even Rose noticing, which was a first for that to happen during her working session with Malfoy.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"So, will you go out with me this Saturday?" He asked her shyly.

She shyly tucked a lock of her red hair behind her ear and smiled, "Why not?"

His eyes widened and a big smile appeared on his face, "Really?"

She laughed slightly, "Of course."

"So, it's a date?" He wanted to be sure.

She chuckled again, "Yes, it's a date."

Rose made a face as she was passing by the two new lovebirds. It was already the second time she'd witnessed a scene like that today. This was always like that, new couples forming a little before Valentine's Day. She didn't really know if it was because of the romantic mood created by this so-called romantic day, or just because of the fear of spending it alone.

Rose didn't particularly like Valentine's Day. She maybe even disliked it. She didn't understand the logic behind one day where everyone has to show their love to their special someone, and if you don't – and by you, she meant guys – then prepare to be dumped, or at least have your girlfriend really pissed at you for a few days.

She entered the girls' dormitory, and saw a few bouquets of roses and a chocolate box on her bed, with a card attached to each of them.

She sighed, already knowing she wouldn't like what was written on those cards. That was the main thing she disliked about that day. Every pun someone could make about her name would be made within the fortnight before Valentine's Day.

"And there's still over a week left," Minzy smiled at Rose. "You lucky girl. I'm still waiting for one."

Not lucky. Just from a famous family.

She sat on her bed and started to read the cards.

'A dozen of roses for my only Rose.' Not really original, Ludovic Brinson. If she remembered well, he was a 7th year from Ravenclaw.

'Roses are red. Violets are blue. I only wanted to say, I still want to go out with you." Signed by Marcellus Wilcox from Hufflepuff. Good at recycling, this one. He wrote the same thing last year, and the year before – well, only without the 'still' that time.

'I know life isn't a bed of roses, but I'm only asking for a Rose in my bed.' What?! Did she really just read that? How can someone not only think and say that, but write it as a gift card? And most of all, think that it could possibly work? She made a mental note to avoid Kraig Forrester from Ravenclaw from now on.

The last card came with the chocolate box. 'I don't have any rose to give, but would you be mine to keep?' Okay, she had to give Loann Lebron, a fellow 6th year from Gryffindor, some credit. But not too much, since he still made a pun about her name. Did she mention she hated puns about her name?

She sighed heavily and lied down on her bed. She really wished she could avoid this day.

"As popular as always I see," she heard Lena say.

Rose straightened up a little to look at her friend, "I don't understand why they keep trying."

By now, the whole school should know she had promised to herself not to ever accept a confession that was done during this time of the year, in order to dissuade people from all confessing to her at the same time, but it clearly didn't work.

Lena shrugged, "They probably think that it will be different this year. So, any interesting gifts?"

"You can take a look, see for yourself," Rose merely said, already tired of this nonsense.

Lena began to read the cards. Her eyes widened at Kraig's card, "Well... That's... New."

Rose chuckled, "I have to at least give him that. But I won't give him anything else, believe me."

"Still, don't you think you're a little to harsh? You don't even give them a chance. Of course Kraig is out, but the others were kind of cute. Aren't you the bit interested?"

"I won't go out with someone who only talks to me because Valentine's Day's in the corner," she explained.

"Maybe it is because it gives them an excuse to talk to you."

Rose took a few seconds to respond, "No, I already promised myself I wouldn't accept any of these confessions. Period."

Lena shrugged, "As long as you're ok with it, I don't have anything to say."

xxxxx

"James, here's for you," Alyce Mowery, a 5th year from Hufflepuff, said as she was handing out a chocolate box to James Potter who was sitting at the Gryffindor's table in the Great Hall.

He smiled smoothly, "Thank you, little princess."

Rose feigned to gag. Lena slightly shook her head. Albus chuckled discreetly. And Peter had 'why-not-me?' written all over his face.

The petite blonde blushed furiously, looking away, "You... You're welcome." And the rushed back to her house's table, her friends cheering for her once she'd joined them.

Rose and Lena stared at him, deadpan, and said together, "Playboy."

James merely shrugged, "Don't blame me, blame the nature."

"Ugh, I hang out with too many narcissistic boys," Lena complained.

Just then, Fred arrived, holding a few little pink boxes. He put them on the table as he sat next to James, and breathed out, "It's so tiring to be popular. Not that I'm complaining, though." At that, he smirked and automatically high-fived James without even looking at him.

He then took a bite of the food on the table, and seeing the blasé look on Lena, and the amused expression on the others' faces, he asked after having swallowed the food, "What?"

"Lena's tired of being friends with awesome people," James explained.

"Oh Lena, don't be like that, you're just as awesome," Fred smiled cutely.

Lena couldn't help smiling at their antics.

"She smiled," they both exclaimed.

"Oh, shut it," she rebuked, but was still smiling. Even she couldn't remain immune to their charms. But it was different from the other girls, of course. She considered them as family, and they treated her as such. That was the perks of being best friends since little with someone who had such a large family when you're an only child: even if you don't have real siblings, you feel like you do.

xxxxx

"Hey, Malfoy," Albus called his friend when he noticed him walking in the corridors, looking at something he was holding.

Scorpius halted when he heard his name and looked up. "Hello, Potter."

When Albus was next to him, he finally saw that the thing he was holding was a chocolate box, "You got one of those too, huh."

"Yep," he merely said. "Do you want some? They're made of milk chocolate, but I only like black chocolate. And I wouldn't want it to go to waste."

"No thanks, a girl gave them to you, and I don't think she'll be happy to see me eat them," Albus politely declined.

Scorpius tilted his head to say 'fine, then' and closed the little box. At least it was green, and not pink, because he apparently had to carry it the whole way to his dormitory.

"And you, did you get some?"

Albus shook his head, "I'm taken, remember?"

"Right, but I know that doesn't always stop the others from trying," he was talking from experience.

Maybe it was because they could feel he didn't really love the girls he went out with, but the few times he had been in a relationship with one, some girls would still flirt with him, telling him they were better than his current girlfriend etc. But he never cheated on anyone, because he'd dump the girl before it could happen.

Scorpius grew bored of his girlfriends pretty fast, because all they knew was how to whine when he wasn't telling them sweet words every minute, whine when he didn't want to talk to them, be jealous every time another girl would smile or talk to him...

He had to admit he wasn't the best boyfriend out there, but in his defense, it was hard to show affection to someone you barely liked. Why did he still date them, you ask? Because they were pretty, and he was a guy, and a bored one. But after being a few weeks with them, he'd feel just as bored again, if not more. It was probably because he didn't date the smartest girls of the school, or even the ones who could have a proper conversation that didn't include gossips, clothes, and more gossips.

"Oh, here are Rose and Lena," Albus suddenly said.

The two girls were talking happily while walking in their direction, but didn't seem to have noticed them yet.

Scorpius smiled, remembering he was finally interested in someone that wasn't like that. Now, all he had to do, was to make her his. But that was another problem.

Albus looked like he was about to call them, but he stopped when he saw Rose looking nervous and trying to hide behind Lena, hiding her face with her hand.

The two boys raised their eyebrows.

"What's going on with her now?" Scorpius asked.

Albus shrugged, "I stopped trying to understand her a long time ago."

A few seconds later, they saw her look behind her not so discreetly, then sigh in relief and act normal again. They concluded they could finally come talk to the girls.

"Rose," Albus called once they were only a few meters away, making her jump.

"Albus! You scared me," she exclaimed. She looked around, "I hope he didn't hear you."

"So, who is it you're avoiding?" Albus asked her.

"Kraig Forrester," she whispered, still looking around. Since she didn't see him, she went on, "He sent me roses to ask me out yesterday, and today he wouldn't stop staring at me during the Herbology class, winking at me every time my eyes would briefly meet his."

Albus chuckled, "And why don't you just tell him you're not interested?"

"I did," she retorted, "But he said I was cute when acting shy." She rolled her eyes.

"That guy's clearly mental," Scorpius said.

Lena finally took notice of what the Slytherin was holding in his hands, "Is that a chocolate box?"

Scorpius looked at it, having already forgotten he was holding it,"It is. Want some?" He opened the box.

"No, thanks. They're yours, after all," Lena declined the offer.

"And you, partner?"

Rose looked at him, frowning, "Why are you asking me?"

"Probably because I have manners, unlike you apparently. You could have just said 'no, thanks,' you know," he said.

"Rose!" They heard someone call. It was a tall, blond guy with an arrogant look on his face. If Scorpius remembered well, that was the annoying Kraig Forrester Rose had just been complaining about, a 6th year student from the house Ravenclaw. He didn't know anything more than that about the bloke, other maybe than he was an idiot with an ego so big his head wasn't exploding only because of the gel on his hair sticking it together.

Rose's eyes widened, and she looked around for an escape as Forrester was walking towards them. Then, her eyes stopped at the sight of Scorpius' chocolate box.

"On second thoughts, can I have some?" She asked him, pointing at the green box still open.

"Of course," he said, but not really following her.

"Perfect," she merely said before taking a handful of chocolates and stuffing them into her mouth.

"I finally found you," Forrester said once he was right behind her. "So, I guess you probably saw my little gift to you and..."

Rose turned around, and smiled widely at him, revealing her teeth completely covered from chocolate, "Yesh?" She hadn't even swallowed everything yet.

Albus, Scorpius and Lena held back a laugh when they saw the face Kraig made. She really wasn't like most girls.

"Uh, hum..." He stumbled, "What I wanted to say was that... That I realized my friend didn't give it to the right Rose. I'm sorry."

Rose finally swallowed the chocolates at once and looked a little surprised, "Ah? I didn't know there was another Rose in Gryffindor. But I'm glad you told me yourself, thank you," she smiled widely again.

Kraig made a face, obviously not fond of her brown teeth, and said, "That's the thing, she's not even in Gryffindor. Silly friend of mine." That bloke was such a bad liar it hurt. "So, huh, sorry again. I have to go, now."

He then nearly ran away from the little group, still shocked by what he'd just seen.

Lena and Albus burst out laughing while Rose was finishing cleaning her teeth.

"You're incredible, don't you even worry he's going to tell everyone that?" Albus said.

"If it helps dissuading other guys to ask me out this week, then it's all for the better," she said simply.

"You're doing all kinds of things, partner," Scorpius mocked. "I would have never thought that the Miss Perfect you are could pull off a trick like that instead of discussing honestly with him."

"Well, it seemed he wouldn't take my words seriously, so," she shrugged.

"So, you decided to abuse my little chocolates and gross him out?" he raised his eyebrow, amused.

"Thank you, by the way," she said. "Oh and why don't you try them? They're really good."

"I don't like milk chocolate. You can have the rest, since you love them so much," he smirked.

"Who doesn't like milk chocolate, seriously?" She didn't seem to believe him. "And no thanks, I've already had enough."

"Kraig's face, though," Lena chuckled, remembering the scene. Albus and Rose also laughed at the idea again.

Rose's laugh made Scorpius smile. It was so beautifully genuine. He was glad to finally be able to witness this from close up.

xxxxx

Rose and Lena were hanging out in the girls' dormitories with Minzy and Violetta, who also was a 6th year student.

"So, did you say yes to Julian?" Minzy asked Violetta.

"Not yet... I'll wait a few more days," Violetta said.

"Playing hard to get, huh?" Minzy said knowingly.

"Exactly," she smirked. "And you, did Gray ask you out?"

Minzy made a disappointed face, "No. I don't think he even likes me, so..."

"Oh, I'm sure it'll be ok," Violetta tried to cheer her up. Then she looked at Rose, "And you Rose, did you chose someone out of your pretendants?"

"You know very well I don't accept any date for Valentine's Day."

"I know, but I never understood why. And some pretty good guys asked you out, what a shame," Violetta finished in a sigh.

"Or are you waiting for someone in particular to ask you out?" Minzy implied.

"I am not," Rose calmly refuted.

"What a bummer. And here I thought you maybe had a thing for Scorpius Malfoy," Minzy looked disappointed.

Rose frowned, an horrified expression on her face, "Merlin's pants! Where did you get that idea? You've got it all wrong."

"You're not a good observer Minzy," Violetta added. Rose was about to thank her for taking her defense, but then Violetta said, "It's obviously the other way around."

"What?" Rose couldn't believe it. "You're spouting nonsense."

"Am I really?" Violetta raised her eyebrows at her, then looked at Lena, "What do you think, Lena?"

Lena merely shrugged, "I think this is not my business." Rose wouldn't believe anyone who'd say Scorpius liked her, anyway. So she might as well not bother arguing about it.

"You're so not fun," Violetta pouted.

Minzy then smiled somewhat maliciously, "Then, let's talk about what's your business, Miss Reynolds. You can admit it now."

"Admit what?" What kind of weird story had these two had made up in their minds this time?

"That you're dating Damon Stones," Minzy said matter-of-factly.

"I am not dating Damon Stones," she refuted.

"Then why are you always stuck with him?" Violetta inquired.

"And I heard you got all possessive of him around Belinda Pollington, too," Minzy added.

"One, I spend time with him because he's my friend. I spend even more time with Albus and Peter, and you said nothing about it. Two, I was trying to help him out back then."

"Well, Albus has a girlfriend, and the whole school's talking about you and Damon dating, not you and Peter."

"As if the whole school would be interested in my love life," Lena rolled her eyes.

"Well, not the whole school, but a lot of people. Damon's pretty popular, after all," Violetta said.

"Have you ever wondered why nobody asked you out yet? That's because they think you're already taken, or at least you'll soon be," Minzy added.

"Well, if they believe those kinds of rumors, I'd rather not have them ask me out," Lena retorted.

"But, you're not even interested in him?" Violetta frowned.

"Not a bit. He's just a friend, I can assure you that," she said without blinking. She had someone else she liked, too. But she'd never tell _that _to _them_. Minzy and Violetta were very nice and she really liked them, but they just couldn't keep their mouth shut.

"You two are a disappointment, really," Violetta pouted.

"Well, sorry for that," Rose chuckled.

"Oh, and did you hear that Yolanda Hamilton's dating Damien Duprès?" Violetta finally changed of subject.

"Really?!" Minzy exclaimed.

Rose and Lena smiled at each other, glad they weren't the two girls' targets anymore.

xxxxx

"Wouldn't it be better if we said this part before this one?" Scorpius Malfoy asked Rose as they were working on their Potions assignment.

Rose thought about it and said, "I agree. It would be more logical that way."

Malfoy leaned back, stretching out, "That's it, then. I believe we are finally done with this, partner."

She looked at the papers in front of her and smiled slightly, "We are. The only thing left is rehearsing for the presentation, one or two times would probably be enough. And then, I'll be free from you."

Malfoy smirked, leaning a little towards her, "Sure you won't miss working with me, partner?"

Rose feigned thinking about it, and said, "I'll probably lose sleep and my appetite from missing you so much. But I'll get over it eventually, don't worry." She was able to keep her serious face for about two seconds before letting out a quiet laugh.

Malfoy looked surprised and amused at the same time, "First, you stuff yourself with chocolate, then you joke with me. You're full of surprises these days, dear partner."

"I'm just in a good mood because we're almost done with Professor Hazebrown's assignment," she said.

"Well, I like you when you're in a good mood, so keep it up," he told her with a smile.

She suddenly felt flustered after hearing him say 'I like you' which reminded her of the conversation she had last night.

_"And here I thought you maybe had a thing for Scorpius Malfoy." _–_ "It's obviously the other way around."_

Scorpius Malfoy having a thing for her? Impossible. Why everyone kept making comments about the two of them anyway? They weren't even friends. Heck, they couldn't even tolerate one another. And she had cleared things up with him after the strange dream she had, and it was clear he did not have feelings for her, and she did not have feelings for him. So, why was it bothering her so much?

"Partner?" His voice made her come back to reality. He was waving his hand in front of her face.

"What?" She merely said.

"I know I can be quite an entertaining sight, but having you staring at me like that is kind of unsettling," he told her.

"Staring? I wasn't staring at you," she denied, shaking her head. Or was she? She was spacing out, after all.

He raised his eyebrow, not believing her, "Really? Then what were you doing?"

"I was... thinking." That was the truth.

"And might I ask about what?"

"About what great things I could do now that we're done working together," she quickly said.

"You're so going to miss these little sessions together," he said confidently.

"About as much as you will, I think," she retorted.

"Yep, that's what I was saying," he smirked. "Let's go now," he gathered up their papers, stood up and started to leave the room.

Rose frowned. These days, she just couldn't tell when he was serious or not. Her eyes widened. And _that_ was exactly why she was feeling so confused, she realized. So that was his plan from the start, messing with her head. She knew it.

She stood up and muttered an angry "Malfoy."

He apparently had already left the library, so she rushed out in order to catch him, but while being careful not to make any noise, she was still in the library after all.

She angrily slammed the door open but closed it quietly, and looked around. She was surprised to see Scorpius Malfoy, leaning against a wall a few meters away from her, apparently waiting for her.

He raised an eyebrow, "Why are you angry now?"

Once the surprise was gone, the steel in her eyes was back. She walked up to him and pointed her finger accusingly at him, "You."

He tilted his head, "I'm pretty sure that is not an appropriate answer to the question 'why'. A 'because of you,' maybe but–"

"This was your plan from the start, wasn't it?" She interrupted him, ignoring his attempt to be funny.

"Ok, now I really don't understand what you're saying. What do you think I did?" He looked genuinely confused, but Rose ignored it.

"You're playing mind games with me," she accused. "You were trying to get into my head and mess it all up," she was starting to act like a mad person now, "But I am not stupid. I won't be fooled so easily."

He sighed, "Seriously, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"A truce?" She scoffed angrily, "Yeah right. I always knew this was fishy."

He rolled his eyes and chuckled dryly, "Come on, humor me then, what was that big evil plan I had in mind?"

"Suddenly being nice to me, and dropping a few strange sentences, and leaving me confused," she explained confidently as if she had just discovered his biggest secret.

He straightened up and smirked, "Confused?"

"And out of my mind," she added.

"Confused about what?" He took a step closer. He was so enjoying this.

"About you," she retorted. "But you already know that because you're the one who made me like that."

Another step closer. "Like what?"

"Out of my mind," she repeated. "Weren't you listening to me?"

One more step. "Couldn't you be more specific?"

"Thinking strange things, coming to strange conclusions, and every single time I would open my eyes and find a rational explanation, you'd just come back and act strange again, and it would start all over again."

They were now a few inches away from each other. "Still not specific enough."

"Just admit it, Malfoy. You were flirting with me to play a prank on me!" She finally snapped.

He paused, crossed his arms and chuckled, "And why would I want to do that?"

"I don't know, you're the one with the twisted mind, you tell me."

"Well, I don't know either, since I didn't do it," he said. He really was flirting with her in his own way, but it certainly wasn't a prank.

She shook her head, "Of course you would deny it, but I don't believe you."

"Too bad, because I really didn't," he insisted.

She seemed to calm down a litlle, but she still kept her head high and crossed her arms, "Say it clearly while looking straight at me and maybe I'll believe you."

He put his hands on her shoulders and looked right into her eyes, "I wasn't trying to pull a prank on you, I swear."

She stared at him, briefly lost into his eyes, but she quickly came back to her senses, moved his hands away and looked away from him, "Fine, I'll believe you."

"You look flustered." He leaned in a little, smirking, "Did you by chance fall for me, partner?"

"As if that would happen," she scoffed confidently, "I am not used to being wrong, that's all. But it's okay, because if that means you weren't trying to flirt – genuinely or not – with me, that's great."

He leaned back, raising his eyebrow, "Do you know who you're talking to?"

"I do, and that is exactly why I'm saying that."

He looked at her with a sad-but-not-really expression on his face, "You're wounding me, partner. And here I thought we were becoming friends."

"I would've said 'when hell freezes over,' but we both know this is even more likely to happen than us becoming friends," she deadpanned and then said, "Now, let's go find Lena and Damon."

"You're right, I would never be able to be friends with such a bossy girl," he told her as he started to walk next to her.

"That would still be far better than being friends with an arrogant prick like you," she retorted.

xxxxx

"So, do you have a date for Valentine's Day?" Damon casually asked Lena as they were waiting for Scorpius and Rose to be finished with their studying session of the day. They didn't join them at the library since they both had had enough of this place for the week.

"I do not, apparently because most people think I'm dating you," she joked.

"Oh, so you heard that too," he chuckled and leaned back a bit, "In their defense, I don't usually hang out with a girl so much."

"You're good friends with Sicilia, too," Lena pointed out.

"Well, yes. But that's Sicilia, I've been friends with her since our first year here."

"Just like me and Peter," Lena thought out loud.

"But, unlike you, I am not in love with her," he said. "She's too much of a strong and independant girl for me."

Lena chuckled, "She does have that strong aura around her, making it hard to approach her."

"Exactly, even though she's in fact really nice and adorable," he said. "Anyway, back to the original issue. If Crawford doesn't ask you out, we could spend the day together."

"What? You, Damon Stones, don't have a date for Valentine's Day?" She gasped jokingly.

"I could have, but didn't want to. I tend to avoid that day, too much of a mushy atmosphere for my taste. But with you, it'd be just another day like the others."

"But then, everyone would really think we are a couple," she raised an eyebrow, amused.

"I wouldn't mind, you know. If it doesn't work out with Crawford, you can come to me anytime," he smirked.

"Be careful, your playboy's attitude is back," she joked.

"No but seriously, you should use this oppurtunity to tell him how you feel, before I become serious about you and make you change your mind," he said while looking straight into her eyes.

Lena was taken aback. She laughed awkwardly, "What are you talking about?"

"You already know what I'm talking about. I've never hidden the fact that I find you attractive, and we get along pretty well so of course I'd be interested. You're not like the others, I like that, but you also like someone else and I respect that. That's why I'll play fair and give him one last chance."

"You know I won't change my mind, right?" She said somewhat weakly.

"No, I don't. And you don't, either."

Lena wasn't used to seeing him acting so serious, and she didn't know how to react.

Thankfully, he streched out and had his usual not-a-care-in-the-world expression back on his face, "Anyway, I just wanted to warn you. But don't let my words bother you, just keep acting like you usually do." He looked at her and grinned, "We're friends, after all."

Before she could respond, they heard two people arguing.

"I always forget you're kind of popular, probably because this concept just goes beyond my understanding," Scorpius mocked.

"I should be the one saying that," Rose spat.

"That's great how easy it is to know you two are around," Damon joked once the two top students of their year were close enough.

"If you're looking for Rose and Scorpius, just follow the angry voices," Lena added humorously.

"Haha, very funny," Rose deadpanned.

"Anyway, let's go," Damon stood up at once and clapped his hands together, "I'm getting hungry."


	11. Chapter 11

First of all, thank you all for your reviews! :D

Also, because recently I've been taking more time to update, I decided to write a longer chapter this time to make up for it, and I'll try to be faster for the next one.

I hope you'll enjoy it (:

xxxxx

* * *

xxxxx

**Chapter 11**

"I don't think I'll be able to go," Rose said to Albus.

"Why? Come on, I really need your help on this one."

"You can ask Lena for advice. Sorry, but I have a lot of work to do," she lied.

"I know you already did all you had to do, and even if you didn't, you have the whole week to finish everything. It's just one afternoon," he insisted.

"What's going on?" Lena appeared along with Peter.

Albus looked at the brunette, "Rose doesn't want to go to Hogsmeade on Saturday."

Lena frowned, "Why? Last week you were totally fine with it."

"I just don't feel like it," Rose said.

"She's saying that, but I'm sure it's because I told her Scorpius would probably join us there," Albus argued. "She looks like she's avoiding him these days."

Albus had noticed that, for the last few days, every time Scorpius would come to talk to him, Rose wasn't with them, simply because she'd manage to find a reason to sneak out before they even noticed Scorpius was around. He had to admit she was quite good at being subtle, since it took him some time to realize her little trick, and only because Scorpius had once made a remark about it.

"I am not avoiding him. I never wanted to hang out with him. And this has nothing to do with this weekend."

"Hey! If you're avoiding him, that means you're breaking your resolution!" Peter realized.

"He's right. You clearly said you'll do your best to get along with him, and avoiding him isn't doing your best at all. You'll have to accept the dare we'll give you," Lena added.

"But I am not avoiding him!" Rose lied again.

"You are, but I'll let you go on this one since you've already spent a lot of time with him these days because of your assignment. But I hope you're avoiding him because of a very good reason, since you're letting down your own cousin for that," Albus tried to make her feel guilty.

"I am not letting you down, you have Lena and Peter to help you find a good gift for Suzy," she retorted.

Albus gave her a look.

"Fine, you have Lena to help you," she corrected. She ignored Peter's 'Hey!' and went on, "And I'm sure whatever you give to Suzy, she'll be thrilled. Even if a thoughtful boyfriend wouldn't have waited the last minute to buy her a present."

"I know, and that's why I absolutely need you. You're the only one who can calm me down and help me not lose my mind and buy something stupid. You know I panic really quickly when it comes to finding a gift, especially at the last minute. That's why I need you, not Lena, and definitely not Peter."

"You do know I'm right here?" the latter said.

"Sorry, mate, but I won't trust someone who got slapped by Tonya Wheeler last year because he gave her _Every Flavor Beans _for Valentine's Day," Albus pointed out.

"I didn't get her _Every _Flavor Beans, I got her _Valentine's _Flavor Beans. They all were red and pink, heart-shaped and contained only good flavours, I thought she'd like it," Peter defended himself, "Plus, she didn't slap me because of my gift choice."

"Right, she slapped you because when you gave her the box, it was only _half-full_," Lena mocked.

"She was twenty minutes late, and we had had a Quidditch practice just before, so I got hungry," he shrugged, knowing it was far from being a good excuse.

Lena rolled her eyes, "You'll never stop to amaze me, and I didn't mean in a good way in case you wondered."

Albus clapped his hands together, "Now back to our original subject," he looked at Rose while keeping his hands like that, "Will you _please _come?"

She thought about it for a few seconds and finally sighed, "Fine, I'll come."

"Thank you, I owe you big time," Albus grinned.

"Why do you owe her?" Suzy appeared from behind Albus, wrapping her arm around his. She gave him a little kiss on the cheek and smiled, "Hey."

"Hey, there," Albus smiled back. "And I owe her because... she'll help me with my Transfiguration assignment."

"Didn't you finish it last week during your weekly studying session?"

"Yes, I did. But I'd like her to review it," he told her. "I found it was too long and wanted another opinion. I really want to have a better grade this time."

"Did the bet also include that or are you genuinely becoming a more serious student?" She asked him jokingly.

Rose frowned at Albus, "You told her about the bet?"

"Of course, I had to explain why I had to postpone our date last time," he said.

"And don't worry, I won't tell anyone, I know you don't want Scorpius to know about this," Suzy immediately assured.

"I'm not worried at all, I know I can trust you," Rose smiled at her. Suzy was such a nice and thoughtful girl.

xxxxx

"So, now that we are alone, will you tell me why you're avoiding Scorpius?" Lena asked Rose later when they were walking towards the Great Hall to have dinner. "And do not try to deny it."

"But I'm really not," Rose lied once again. "At least, not more than usual."

She really couldn't bring herself to tell Lena the truth.

It had been a few days since Rose had confronted Scorpius about his recent behaviour, but she still couldn't stop thinking about it. She had believed him when he said he wasn't pulling a prank on her, even he couldn't lie that well. But she still kept repeating the scene over and over in her head. How he slowly walked twards her. How he grabbed her shoulders. How he looked right into her eyes.

Rose shook her head. She really had to stop thinking about this. About him.

He was Scorpius Malfoy, she should be angry or disgusted every time she'd think about him, not flustered and confused.

Great, now she remembered how he told her, _"You look flustered. Have you by chance fallen for me, partner?"_

She may not have all her head these days, but that's definitely not it. She'd never let that happen.

Anyway, at least she didn't have to see him alone on regular basis anymore, and she really had become really good at avoiding him.

"And you expect me to believe you when you're obviously having an inner fight with yourself," Lena gave her a look.

Rose finally gave in, "Fine, I'm avoiding him. But I can't tell you why since even I don't know why."

"Or you won't admit it to yourself why," Lena pointed out knowingly.

"And why are you avoiding Damon then?" Rose changed the subject.

Lena's cheeks turned a little pink, "He said something weird last time and now I don't know how to face him."

"What did he tell you exactly?"

Lena blushed even more deeply, and she was about to answer when they heard someone call Rose's name. They turned around and saw Marcellus Wilcox smiling at them.

Rose quietly sighed, it was always the worst part of the pre-Valentine's Day. There was less than a week left before that dreadful day, which meant it was the time for her to answer to the cards she'd received.

She felt Lena slightly tap her shoulder, "I'll wait or you at the dinner table with the others." And then Lena walked away from her while Marcellus was walking towards her.

"Hello Rose, how are you?" He nicely greeted her.

"I'm fine, and you Marcellus?" She forced a smile.

"That depends on what you'll say, actually," he shyly told her. "Though I probably know what your answer will be."

Rose couldn't help feeling a bit guilty. Marcellus was really a nice guy, but she just didn't feel that way about him. His small figure and his innocence made her see him like a little brother of some sort.

"Marcellus, I'm really touched, but..."

"But you don't see me like that. I know. I understand," he gave her a small smile.

She smiled apologetically, "Sorry."

He smiled, "Don't be. I'm actually happy, it spared me a dilemma. You see, I decided to finally move on."

She was surprised to hear him say that, "Oh, really?"

"Yes, I kind of found a girl that I may like, but I needed a closure with you so that I wouldn't have any regrets giving you up."

"Oh, I'm really happy to hear that. Who is she?"

"She's a 5th year from Hufflepuff, but I can't tell you more details because I don't want to jinx it," he smiled.

She smiled back, "You really seem to like that girl. I wish you good luck, then. But I'm sure things will work out for you."

"Thank you," he grinned. "In fact, I have to meet her before dinner, so..."

"You can go, of course," she laughed.

He grinned, "See you around, Rose Weasley."

He began to walk away, but quickly stopped, turned around, and smiled gently, "Oh, and good luck to you too."

"You know very well I don't date during this period," she said with a small laugh.

"But you should, or you might end up having regrets. Do like me, stop being stubborn or you might miss out someone great."

She smiled a little, "I'll think about it."

He grinned, "That's all I wanted to hear. I really have to go now, bye!" He waved at her and finally walked away.

"Someone great, huh?" She repeated to herself with a smile.

"You called me?"

Her smile quickly vanished and a frown took its place as she was turning around, "Eavesdropping now, Malfoy? Also, I don't remember calling a prick."

"You're being a little arrogant on this one partner, thinking I might be interested in your love life, that apparently doesn't even exist. I was simply on my way to dinner."

"But you were eavesdropping, or you wouldn't have known the subject of the conversation."

"I heard, that's different," he argued.

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever."

She started to walk but he stopped her by grabbing her arm, "Wait."

She sighed heavily, and crossed her arms, "What now?"

"Well, it's the first time we talk in a week and I had to tell you something before you start avoiding me again," he simply told her. "You can be sneakier than a ghost when you want, that's quite tiring."

"What do you want to tell me?" She tried to hide the apprehension in her voice.

"Huh, so you're not even denying it," he smirked.

"It's not new that I don't want to be around you, so why should I?" She retorted.

"And you're dead cold again. If I didn't actually know some ghosts, I'd think you really are one."

"Just tell me what you want to say, Malfoy," she told him in a sigh. The less time she'd spend around him, the more at ease her mind would be. "And be quick, because I'm hungry."

"I am too. So let's talk while walking," he said as he started to walk and Rose followed him.

"From what I heard, you're available on Sunday, so how about we meet up on that day?" He then said casually.

Her eyes widened. Seeing him on this Sunday, aka most girls' dream day, aka her yearly nightmare, aka Valentine's Day? Was he trying to ask her out on a date right now?

She tried to stay calm and rational and not jump to conclusions, and asked simply, "Why should we?"

He chuckled, "I am not asking you to be my Valentine, don't worry. Our presentation is for next Friday and we should rehearse it together at least once or twice."

"Still, it would be strange to spend some time alone with you on that day," she said. Not to say she wouldn't be left alone if people saw them together.

"Too bad, it was the perfect time to be able to find a quiet place where to rehearse, since everyone else would be either on a date or moaning because they don't have one," he said.

He had a point. "I'll think about it. By the way, don't you have a date? Since you're so popular and all," that came out with a touch of sarcasm.

"Nope, I don't feel like listening to a girl giggling all day long this week."

Rose rolled her eyes, "That's so like you to say that."

"Well, I am me, so isn't it a given?" he smirked.

They arrived in front of the entrance of the Great Hall.

"See? No time wasted on each other," he joked. "See you around, partner," he said before going to the Slytherin table.

She raised her eyebrow at him, amused. Then, she realized who had made her smile and changed her expression back to an impassive one and finally joined her friends.

"What were you doing with Scorpius? I left you with Marcellus," Lena asked as Rose was sitting next to her.

"He saw me after I was finished talking with Marcellus, we talked about our assignment," Rose simply said.

"Really? Because from there it looked like he was asking you out for Valentine's Day," Minzy chimed in.

Rose rolled her eyes, "You really should stop jumping to conclusions. And especially to _that_ kind of conclusions." She made a face.

"Well, maybe he wasn't. But you have to admit there was more than study talk going on there," Violetta pointed out.

"I agree," Rose said, "There was also some arguing involved. And Malfoy being a prick."

"Girls, just leave her alone with this, ok?" Lena told them.

Minzy and Violetta considered the question, and finally said while crossing their arms, "Fine."

"And where are Albus and Peter?" Rose asked.

"Albus must still be with Suzy, but he should be here soon. But I don't know about Peter, maybe they met up or something," Lena replied.

"I saw Peter talking to Petunia Whitworth before, maybe he's still with her," Minzy told them.

Rose immediately saw Lena's expression changing.

"Why would he be with her?" Lena tried to ask casually.

"I couldn't hear but it seemed to be a serious conversation," Minzy said, apparently oblivious of Lena's change of mood.

"Why didn't you get closer? Maybe he was asking her out for Valentine's Day," Violetta gasped.

"I couldn't, there were too many people between us and then Gray came to talk to me and I just couldn't walk away from him, you know," Minzy said.

"Right, I see the struggle. So did he ask you out?" Violetta asked, excited.

"No, but I think he might soon," she replied just as excited.

Lena and Rose couldn't help but smile at their friend's happiness.

And Rose had to admit this time of the year didn't have only bad sides.

xxxxx

"I'm beat," Rose said as she was on her way back from Quidditch practice with the rest of the team.

"Me too, you can't imagine how glad I am that we exceptionally don't have practice this weekend," Albus said.

"That's the only good thing about that weekend," Rose remarked.

"Oh, my little and sweet Rosie, the perpetual cynical when it comes to this romantic day," James chimed in, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Still keeping your little promise not to date any bloke during that period?"

"Of course. And I'm a little surprised you're trying to make me change my mind, too," she eyed him.

"Oh, I am not. I'm thrilled that you're not easily impressed and won't date just anyone," he told her, "But I think you hate the day just a little bit too much."

"So, you want me to go on a date on Valentine's Day?" Rose raised her eyebrow at him.

"No, I just want you to do what you want to do. If you don't feel like going out with anyone, that's ok. But if you're forcing yourself to say no to everyone just because you decided years ago that you hated that day, I think you might regret it later."

"Huh, you're surprisingly wise today, James," Albus joked.

James smirked proudly, "I have my moments."

"By the way, I heard you have some pretty good options this year, you should seriously consider it," Sylvia Summer, a fellow Quidditch player chimed in. "I know for sure that a really sweet boy who also happens to be quite pleasing to look at named Loann Lebron is fond of you."

"Loann Lebron? Interesting..." James said.

"Not interesting," Rose immediately rebuked him, "And don't try and go talk to him because there is no need."

"Why, do you want to protect him?" James teased her.

"I never even had a real conversation with him, so no," she said in a deadpan voice.

"That's why you should try to get to know him," Sylvia insisted.

"You're saying this only because you're his friend," Rose argued.

"Well yes, because I know how great he is," she said. When Rose gave her a look, she added, "And Tyler, you know my great boyfriend who also happens to be Loann's best friend, asked me to try to talk to you."

"Poor little Rose, being so popular must be rough," Peter joked.

"I wonder why everyone is so interested in my love life anyway," Rose commented.

"I am because I'm a girl, and a girl on mission."

"I am because I'm your beloved cousin," James said.

"And I am because I'm your _favourite _cousin," Albus added with a smile.

"Well, I'm not really," Peter said, "I have enough trouble having one of my own, so..."

"That reminds me, I heard you were with Petunia the other day," Rose implied. Maybe it was the occasion to get answers.

"Ah, no, we were just–" he began to say but was interrupted by Lena calling their names.

She jogged towards them, "Hey guys, I was tired of waiting for you so I decided to come myself. So, how was practice?"

"Pretty exhausting actually, would you be kind and massage my shoulders later?" Peter feigned to be in pain.

Lena smiled maliciously, "And why not now?"

He grinned, "Really?"

She nodded, and put her hands on his shoulders, and then pinched both sides of his neck, which made him cringe out of pain.

"You are a horrible woman, Lena Reynolds," he gasped as Lena high-fived both Albus and James.

"I beg to differ, you are amazing, Lena Reynolds," James commented with a grin, while everyone except Peter was laughing.

How ironic. Rose would have been able to get the answer Lena wanted if it wasn't for the latter. Well, there would always be other opportunities, it wasn't really hard to get information out of Peter Crawford after all.

xxxxx

It was Saturday, and our little group of Gryffindor students just went out of the _Gems' Cauldron_, a popular jewellery shop in Hogsmeade.

"Thank you so much, I don't know what I would've done without you Rose," Albus grinned while taking a last look at the wrapped box he was holding before putting it in his pocket.

Rose smiled, "I didn't really do anything. You were the one who chose it, I just confirmed your choice."

"If you hadn't I would've spent the whole afternoon trying to decide," he insisted.

She chuckled, "Fine, you're welcome."

Peter yawned, "All this shopping drained my energy, how about we get some energy back at the Three Broomsticks Inn?"

Lena rolled her eyes at him, smiling, "Of course you'd suggest that."

"Well, I wanted to make a quick stop at _Tomes and Scrolls_, I have a book to buy, but you can go and I'll join you after that, it won't take long anyway," Rose said.

"Don't you ever get sick of constantly being around books? Especially the really dusty ones, it's unhealthy you know," Peter commented.

"Your school books are even dustier, and yet you're never sick, so I think I'm out of danger," Rose retorted.

"That's because I don't use them," he explained proudly.

"Why am I even trying to have a conversation with him?" Rose joked.

"If only I had the answer," Lena sighed humorously.

They were now in front of the pub.

"See you later then," Rose said as her friends entered the place.

xxxxx

Scorpius, Damon and Sicilia were already at the Inn when the students from Gryffindor arrived.

"Already finished with your little shopping Potter?" Scorpius said as a greeting.

"Yes, all thanks to Rose. She might be a fairy instead of a wizard," Albus joked as he, Peter and Lena took a seat.

"A fairy? More like the Wicked Witch," Scorpius scoffed.

Peter was already getting angry but Lena calmed him down by putting her hand on his arm.

"And where is she now?" Sicilia asked while looking around.

"Probably everywhere but here. She's putting a lot of effort in avoiding me these days," Scorpius said sardonically.

"And I totally understand her," Peter automatically responded.

"She's at _Tomes and Scrolls_, and she'll join us later," Albus assured them before the boys could start a fight.

"I suggest we go order our butterbeers, I really need a drink," Peter said while glaring at Scorpius.

He and Albus got up, and Lena was doing the same, but the two boys stopped her.

"Stay here, we got it," Albus assured her.

"But..." She tried to argue, but they were already gone.

She sat back and let out a sigh. It was awkward to sit right next to Damon alone. Well, there were Sicilia and Scorpius, too, but they were sitting at the other side, which felt really far from them right now.

"So, have you and Rose taken the same lessons?" Damon whispered to her with a smirk.

Lena frowned, "What lessons?"

"The how-to-avoid-someone ones," he explained.

She looked away, embarrassed, "I wasn't avoiding you."

"And I never said who I thought you were avoiding, and yet you immediately assumed it was me," he smirked.

She sighed, "Sorry, I just..." She couldn't find her words.

"What's with all the whispering, you two?" Sicilia suddenly asked them with a smile.

"I was telling her... Something personal. But if I told you what, you'd probably hit me," Damon implied with his usual smirk on his face and a wink.

Lena hit his arm, "Stop saying nonsense."

Sicilia chuckled, "I think Lena's already doing a good job at hitting you."

"We hang out with too many dangerous girls, I'm telling you," Damon complained to Scorpius.

"They're dangerous because they're smart enough to think on their own. Why don't we leave and go find some airheads instead?" Scorpius joked. And that earned him a slap on the back of his head from Sicilia.

"Scratch that. They're dangerous because they're just plain violent," he said while massaging the back of his head and glaring at his childhood friend.

"Exactly, so you shouldn't give us any reason to hit you," Sicilia smiled maliciously.

Lena chuckled and looked on her right to see if Peter and Albus were coming back, but her smile disappeared as soon as her eyes found them.

They were with Suzy and Petunia. And Petunia was hugging tightly Peter. The rumours must have been right, Lena realized sadly.

"I'm sure that's just her way of being friendly," she heard Damon tell her.

She couldn't take her eyes off them, but still replied, "It's one heck of a long hug to be just friendly."

"Then it's your fault for not giving him a reason to reject her," he said quietly.

She finally turned her head and glared at him for rubbing it in. But she was glad they could still interact normally.

"We've got our drinks, and in bonus more company," she then heard Albus announce happily.

"I don't think girls that are already taken are a bonus," Damon remarked probably instinctively, then looked at the girls and added with one of his famous smiles, "But you're still good company, of course."

"Sorry, Pretty Boy, but girls that look like us never stay alone for a long time," Petunia bragged.

And here was the confirmation Lena had feared.

"I don't doubt it," Damon told her, "Though I know at least two gorgeous girls that weirdly do." He put his arm around Lena's shoulders and pointed his chin at Sicilia to emphasize his point.

Sicilia just shook her head with a small smile, not bothering to react to his pseudo-charming behaviour.

Lena would normally roll her eyes or call him a playboy, but right now she weirdly felt like he was trying to cheer her up, so she just gave him a look, "Well, people thinking I'm taken even though I'm not doesn't really help."

"What are you talking about?" Peter asked, obviously not aware of that rumour.

She looked at him confidently, loving the fact that the tables had turned, and said, "Some people seem to think I'm dating Damon."

Peter scoffed bitterly, "Those people clearly don't know you."

"Pete, you're being mean," Petunia rebuked him as a proper girlfriend should before smiling at Lena, "I also got the feeling you'd make a good couple, you know."

Lena was starting to regret bringing up that rumour, since it was now a little awkward to talk about it after Damon had told her he was seriously interested in her. And she felt guilty for using him to get back at Peter, again.

"People just see relationships everywhere as Valentine's Day is coming, that's all," she therefore tried to change the subject.

"Can we not have one day where we wouldn't talk about that awfully cheesy holiday?" Scorpius complained.

Lena chuckled, "Too bad Rose isn't here to hear you say that, she would have been thrilled someone shared her opinion on this, even if that someone is you."

"The more I think about it, the more I believe you two have a lot in common, you know," Albus told Scorpius.

"And if she was here to hear you say that, she would have been greatly offended," Scorpius assured him.

xxxxx

Rose was about to pick a book when someone beat her at it, not without brushing a strand of her hair in the process.

She had a feeling of a déjà-vu and froze. Was it him again?

"Sorry, were you about to take that book?" The owner of the hand asked her softly.

It wasn't him, but she still recognized the voice.

She turned around, a bit surprised, but still smiled politely, "Loann, hello. Yes but don't worry, I'm sure they have more than one exemplar." She saw a woman working at the bookstore not far and asked her, "Excuse me, do you have another exemplar of this, please?"

The woman got closer, squinting and holding her glasses closer to her face as she was trying to remember, then said apologetically, "Sorry, dear. It's our last one."

"Oh, well it's not like I absolutely wanted this one, anyway," she lied. She loved Illyanna Fortenberry's work and this was her latest novel.

"Your face says otherwise," Loann told her, chuckling. He handed her the book, "You should take it."

Her face lightened up, "Really?" Then she felt a little guilty, "No, I can't accept. You were faster than me, it's ok. I'll buy it another time."

He pondered the question a few seconds before giving in, "Fine, I'll take it then."

She couldn't help but feel disappointed. Truth was, she was merely being polite, but she thought he'd still let her have it.

"I'll go pay for it," he told her before leaving her alone in the aisle.

She began to search for something else to read, when the book she wanted so bad reappeared right in front of her face.

She frowned, "What are you doing?" Was he purposely rubbing it in her face? She'd never pictured him as that kind of guy.

"I bought the book, and now I'm lending it to you," he simply told her.

"Why would you do that?"

"You didn't want me to give it to you. You never said anything about lending it to you," he smiled.

She bit her lip to hold back her smile, "But don't you want to read it?"

"I know you're a quick reader, just give it back to me once you're finished. I have other books to read in the meantime." He handed it to her.

"Well, I guess refusing now would be rude, wouldn't it?" She said in a falsely serious tone.

He nodded jokingly, "Very rude."

She finally took the book in her hands, "Ok, I accept it then. But only because I don't want to offend you. And I'll give it back to you as soon as I finish it."

They both started to head out of the store.

"If you don't, just know I'll be forced to send some dangerous creatures after you to get it back," he advised her.

She chuckled, "Fair enough."

Once they were out of the story, Loann said, "So, I guess you're going to join Albus and the others?"

"Yes, they're waiting for me at the Three Broomsticks Inn, and you?"

"I left Tyler back at _Honeydukes_, which means he's probably still there," he joked.

"Well, if you guys come at the Three Broomsticks later, feel free to join us," she smiled at him, "I'll buy you a drink to thank you."

"But that would wipe out all the purity of my kindness, I can't accept," he joked.

She chuckled, "Sorry, I was being rude again."

"It's ok, just don't do it again."

"Yes, Sir," she laughed. "So, see you around then."

He smiled and nodded slightly, "See you around, Rose."

She started to walk away when she heard him call her. She stopped and turned around, "Yes?"

He looked nervous. He was scratching the back of his head and wasn't looking at her, "I didn't mean to ask you since I already knew the answer, but now that we talked I really can't let you go without asking."

She frowned, "Ask me what?" Her eyes widened the second she'd finished her sentence, remembering he was interested in her. "Oh, that," she said before he could even answer.

"I know about your decision concerning Valentine's Day, but we seemed to get along pretty well so I thought that maybe..."

She sighed, feeling guilty, "Listen Loann, I already knew you were a really nice guy and now I know you're also very funny, but–"

"But you should think about it," he cut her off with a smile. "Don't think about it as a date, but just a way to get to know each other better. You don't have to answer me now, but just know that if you change your mind, I have no other plans for tomorrow."

She smiled, "Thank you."

He frowned, "For what? Asking you out?"

"For not being pushy or anything," she explained with a smile, before feeling guilty again, "But I really don't want to give you false hope."

"I'm just asking for one chance. I also could wait for this period to be over, but I was afraid someone else would be faster than me," he told her. "Anyway, just think about it, and tell me if you change your mind. I have to go join Tyler before he actually realizes he spent more than an hour in _Honeydukes_." He told her as he was quickly walking away from her, not giving her the time to reply anything to him.

Once he was out of sight, she also went to join her friends.

xxxxx

Rose entered the _Three Broomsticks Inn_ and began to search for her friends. When her eyes immediately caught them as they were sitting at the biggest table of the pub, she realized their little group wasn't so little anymore.

Even Petunia was there, probably much to Lena's displeasure, since the girl from Ravenclaw seemed to be pretty close with Peter again.

Rose walked towards them and before she could even announce herself, she heard Peter exclaim, "Ah Rose, you're finally here."

She smiled at him and greeted everyone before taking the seat next to Lena.

"I was starting to think the books had swallowed you. Those things can be bloody dangerous sometimes," Peter commented.

"You and your bibliophobia," Lena shook her head.

"My what?" Peter frowned.

"Bibliophobia," she repeated, "It means fear of books."

"Then why didn't you say that from the start? You know I don't like complicated words."

"Oh right, I'm sorry, I forgot who I was talking to," she mocked.

"It's fine, as long as you don't do it again," he said, not looking the bit insulted.

"So, did you buy the book you wanted?" Albus asked Rose, deciding to ignore his silly friend's silly remark.

"Well, I didn't buy it, but yes I have it," she answered vaguely.

Suzy frowned, "Do they lend books now? Last time I went there they didn't."

"No, they still don't, sadly."

Petunia gasped, "Then, did you…," she whispered the end of her sentence, "steal it?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes, "Do you even know who you're talking to? Of course she didn't steal it."

Rose frowned at him, "I should be glad you don't see me as a thief, but why does it still sound like an insult?"

"Because it's Scorpius who said that about you," Peter quickly explained.

"Guys, can't we go back to the subject, please?" Petunia, as curious as ever, exclaimed. She leaned a little towards Rose, her chin resting on her hand, and asked, "So, how come you have it then?"

"Someone simply lent it to me," she answered once again vaguely.

"You found someone willing to do that just now, and that had the book on them? You're really lucky," Petunia remarked.

"I guess I am," she didn't give any more details. She didn't want Petunia to spread rumours about them.

"Let's talk about something more fun. I haven't asked you yet, but do you have a date for tomorrow?" Petunia asked cheerfully.

Scorpius suddenly looked more interested about the conversation. He leaned in a little, smirked, and asked in a mocking manner, "Yes, do you?"

Rose just grunted, "I'm so glad we'll be over with this after tomorrow."

"So I assume you don't," Petunia answered for her.

"I chose not to," she told her, "Valentine's Day's just not my cup of tea."

"Why? Valentine's Day is a wonderful day," Petunia exclaimed.

"No, it's a stressful day," Rose argued. "It's stressful for the girls who don't have a date. It's stressful for the boys who have to live up to their girlfriends' expectations. And it's stressful for the girls whose boyfriends don't live up to their expectations."

"I couldn't agree more with you," Damon smirked. "That's why it's the best period for a guy like me to be single. No pressure or money wasted on gifts, and lots of girls to cheer up the day after."

"Please Damon, stop being so romantic, it's embarrassing," Sicilia said sardonically while shaking her head.

"Hey, at least I'm honest with myself," he said.

"The thing is, you're not," Sicilia argued calmly.

He frowned at her, "What are you talking about?"

"Don't expect me to make things easier for you and answer that. You figure it out on your own," she told him.

"Is it a lovers' quarrel?" Petunia asked them, excited. Then tilted her head, looking a little lost, "But I thought Damon and Lena were interested in each other."

"And you should stop thinking," Lena remarked.

But Petunia didn't seem to have heard her and gasped, "Is it a love triangle, then?" She looked at Damon and asked him, "Who do you prefer, Lena or Sicilia?"

"I prefer a girl who isn't smarter than me," he answered with a smirk.

"See, that's what I was taking about. You're always putting on a façade," Sicilia argued.

Damon frowned for a nanosecond before having his seductive smile on his face again, "Why, are you disappointed I didn't say I liked you better?"

"You know very well I'm not, I'm too smart for that," she deadpanned.

He smiled slightly at her, before looking at Petunia, "And that's why I don't like smarter girls. They're smart enough to know they shouldn't like me."

"Guess I'm not really smart, then," Petunia smiled flirtatiously at him.

"Hey, you're taken now remember?" Peter warned her.

"Come on, it's just the way I am. I'm not seriously interested," she assured him.

Rose saw Lena roll her eyes, trying not to pay attention to them. She felt bad for her friend and decided it was time to change the subject and began to talk about Quidditch.

xxx

They now were all taking a walk before going back to Hogwarts. Albus and Peter were still talking about Quidditch. Behind them, Suzy was trying to help Sicilia get rid of Petunia since the latter was out for gossips again, and she didn't have anyone else to give her information about the boys from Slytherin. Scorpius and Damon had been able to escape Petunia on their own, saying it was girls' talk, and were now behind them, talking to each other. And finally, Lena and Rose were the farthest behind, a little out of the group.

Lena didn't feel like blending in right now, especially with Petunia around.

"You know, they never actually said they were going out, maybe it's all a misunderstanding," Rose tried to cheer her up. "When I asked him last time, even though you interrupted us before he could answer, I was sure he was about to tell me it wasn't like that."

"Thank you, but I'm not stupid. First, Minzy sees them together, and today they hug each other and she's all happy about spending Valentine's Day with her boyfriend. It's easy to connect the dots."

"But don't you think he would've told us?"

"Why should he? It was already pretty obvious," Lena spat, "I'm sure she's only playing with him because she doesn't want to be alone for Valentine's Day."

"This holiday is only trouble, seriously," Rose automatically commented.

Lena chuckled slightly, "You know what your attitude towards Valentine's Day reminds me?"

Rose frowned, "No, but I'm sure you'll tell me."

"You decided you hated it since years ago, and never gave it a chance. As soon as someone mentions it, you can't help but making a remark to express how much you hate it. It's automatic for you to hate it and be on the defensive when you're facing it, even if there is no real reason for you to be like that anymore. So, doesn't it make you think about you attitude towards someone we know?" Lena asked knowingly.

"I do have reasons not to like Malfoy," Rose argued.

"Like what? And don't say because he's arrogant and a prick."

"Why? These are good reasons," she insisted.

"No, they're not. We hang out with plenty of arrogant people, but you only have a problem with Scorpius. And have you not noticed he's not that much of a prick anymore? He's actually nice and fun to be with," Lena told her.

"I'm really starting to think Damon has a very bad influence on your judgement," Rose joked.

"You can be so stubborn, it's unbelievable," Lena sighed, "But fine, I won't insist. Just know that they have one last thing in common: you should both give them a chance."

Rose looked at her friend as if she was crazy, "I think I'm fine like that, thanks."

"You know what? I don't care. For once, I won't let you off the hook this easily." The sudden glint in Lena's eyes was scaring Rose.

"What are you…" She started to ask, but before she could end her sentence, Lena took her by the arm, pulled her with her towards the Slytherin boys, saying she needed to talk Damon and that she was entrusting Rose to Scorpius, and dragged Damon more towards the front, leaving Rose and Scorpius together at the back, who had both stopped walking due to the shock.

Scorpius frowned, looking at Lena still dragging Damon, "What's got into her? Did she have too much butterbeer or what?"

"For entrusting me to you, I'm sure she did," Rose scoffed. She then sighed, "I'll just go join Albus and Peter."

She started to walk but he held her back by gripping her arm, which seemed to have become a habit for him, "The hell you are! And leaving me alone? Do you want me to go back to that crazy girl?" He was probably talking about Petunia.

"I don't care what you do, as long as you stay away from me," she remarked.

He suddenly pulled her towards him as he was still holding her arm, so that their faces were only a few inches apart, and smirked, "And what if I don't?"

She frowned at his behaviour, but still moved away from him and said, "Then I'll just go away myself."

She began to walk again, but not as fast as before. She just didn't want to lose the rest of the group. He was now walking next to her.

"Come on, it was fine when we were working together. Why are you still being like that?"

She knew he was kind of right, but the closer they were, the more she felt the need to run away as far as she could.

"Is it because I found out the truth?" He then asked her.

She frowned, "What truth?"

"That you've in fact fallen in love with me," he said matter-of-factly, "You've been avoiding me since then, after all."

She rolled her eyes, "I am not in love with you. I don't even like you."

"So, you won't have any problem with working with me tomorrow? I believe you don't have anything else to do anyway."

"I do, I have a book to read as quickly as I can so I can give it back to its owner," she said.

"Ah right, I'm actually curious about the details of that story."

"Why are you?"

"Because it sounds fishy," he merely said.

"There was only one exemplar left, we saw it at the same time but he was faster than me at taking it, so I let him have it, but he kindly offered to lend it to me. That's all."

"And who is that he?"

"Loann Lebron, why?" He was acting weirder and weirder.

"Just to know who was crazy enough to flirt with you," he told her.

She was about to deny it, but then she realized he really was, or he wouldn't have asked her out after that. So she just said, "He isn't crazy."

"Yes he is, because apparently he lent you a book he was as excited to read as you and you didn't even accept to go on a date with him. I actually feel a little sad for the lad you know."

She raised her eyebrow, surprised at how right he was but not letting it show, "And what makes you think he asked me out? Or even what my answer was?"

"It's the day before Valentine's Day, of course he'd take the chance. As for your answer, the fact that you're intending to spend tomorrow's afternoon with his book rather than with him just says it all."

Why did that prick have to be smart?

"Anyway, tell me if you change your mind. It would be really convenient if we could just rehearse our presentation tomorrow," he then said.

"I won't see you tomorrow. As you said, I'd rather spend my time with a book rather than his perfectly nice owner, so how would I go and see you?"

"Because it wouldn't be a date. And you like to work, even if it's with me."

Since when did he know her that well?

She crossed her arms, "I still prefer the book. And even if it's for work, I'll never spend Valentine's Day with you, I can't handle the two things I hate the most at the same ti–"

She suddenly slid on a little patch of ice, and couldn't maintain her balance quickly enough since she was crossing her arms. But she felt a hand on her right arm, and an arm wrapping around her waist, which kept her from falling.

"How many times will I have to do that?" Scorpius asked arrogantly, still holding her. But his expression suddenly changed into a more serious one as he was looking at her.

And that's when she pushed him away, "Stop it, the white knight character doesn't suit you."

"I see you still don't know how to say thank you," he joked.

"Come on, we're losing the rest of the group," she merely said before walking quickly, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"And that you're as bossy as ever, too," he mocked before following her.

xxx

"So, since when do you play matchmakers?" Damon asked Lena once they were far enough from their friends.

"What do you mean?" She acted innocent.

"The whole leaving Rose and Scorpius alone. That's unusual for you to do that kind of things."

She shrugged, "Well, it's about time they become friends."

"You should worry about your own relationships problems first," he remarked.

She glared at him, "I don't want to." She instinctively looked at Peter who was still walking far in front of them.

Damon added, "It's not too late you know, just grow some balls and tell him how you feel," he then frowned and felt obliged to add, "I shouldn't have used that expression."

She couldn't help chuckling, even if her smile didn't reach her eyes, "Are you really giving me advice for my relationship with him?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, "Why not? I told you I like to play fair."

"Confident much?" She chuckled.

"I do have a lot of faith in me. Also, I don't want you to choose me just because you couldn't tell him the truth. That would hurt my ego, and you know my ego is precious to me," he joked again.

She looked at him, "Sicilia's right, you really can't be serious more than ten seconds."

Damon made a face, "Sicilia's wrong. That's just who I am."

"I think she may know you better than you know yourself," Lena commented.

"She thinks she does, that's different," he argued.

"If you say so," Lena decided to let it go. She'd already meddled in Rose's business; that was enough for today.

xxxxx

Later, Rose was on her bed, reading. Or more like, trying to read. She was supposed to devour that book, but here she was, not paying attention to the story at all.

She hated the fact that she couldn't stay concentrated, and she hated even more the fact that it was because she couldn't stop thinking about that prick, again.

Why did he have to pull her towards him, or to look at her the way he did anyway, huh?

She really didn't like what was happening in her head right now.

She couldn't keep being like that anymore. She had to do something about it.

That's when she remembered Lena's advice, and finally decided to listen to it, but only half of it. She jumped out of her bed and went out of the dormitories to go talk to him. She quickly found him, and started to walk straight towards him. She could feel the eyes of the other students on her as she was now standing right in front of him. She didn't blame them, it really was an unusual sight.

He merely looked at her, not really knowing what to expect, and asked, "What's happening?"

She had a very determined look on her face, but truth was she was starting to think this was a very bad idea. So, before she could wriggle out, she told him something that surprised everyone, including herself, "I changed my mind about tomorrow."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

Lena was sitting alone in front of the fire. Everyone else was asleep. Which was normal since it was passed midnight already.

But she couldn't fall asleep. She was too busy thinking about her.

While she as staring at the fire burning, a mug suddenly appeared in front of her, blocking the view.

"Here, it'll warm you up a bit," she heard him say.

Her eyes widened a little out of surprise, but she merely took the mug and said, "I'm not cold."

Peter sat next to her, and began to stare at the fire just like her, "It'll warm you up from the inside."

She smiled at him, "Thank you." She took a sip. It was hazelnut hot chocolate, her favourite flavour.

"You're welcome," he replied, taking a sip of the drink he'd brought for himself.

"So, how come you're still awake?" She eventually asked.

His facial expression changed from a serious and cool one to his usual carefree one. He sighed loudly and leaned back a bit, "Albus was snoring like a troll, I couldn't fall asleep at all."

She chuckled, "Poor you."

"I know. I should ask Rose to give me that spell that can make people's snoring stop."

"I'm not sure you'd be able to use it correctly, though," she teased him.

He made a disappointed face, "Right." He drank from his mug again, still looking at the fire.

She stared at him for a few seconds, smiling. She couldn't help noticing he didn't ask her why she was still awake. Simply because he already knew the answer. And he'd never complained about Albus snoring before.

He suddenly looked at her, and he gasped in an exaggerated manner, "Do I have something on my face or what?"

She chuckled, "Yes, you have some milk chocolate on your nose, you idiot."

He quickly wiped it off with his free hand, and asked her, "How did you know it was milk chocolate?"

She shrugged, "Because you're still a kid and that's your favourite hot drink."

"I'm not a kid," he exclaimed loudly, just like a kid would have.

She began to laugh, "Are you sure?"

He began to pout, staring at the fire, and drinking.

Lena's face became serious again, and she suddenly said, "Peter, you know, I–"

"Peteeer!" An annoyingly high-pitched voice interrupted her. It was Petunia. "What are you doing with her? You're with me, remember?"

Peter stood up, and put his hand on Petunia's cheek, "You know I only love you." He then looked at Lena with a kind of mean smirk, "Lena's a friend, nothing more."

Petunia giggled and kissed him, "You're right, sorry. Of course nothing would happen between you two."

She took him by the arm and led him towards the exit of the room while talking about their next date, leaving her like that. She wanted to say something, anything to make him stay, but couldn't. All she could do was watching them walking away.

Then, it wasn't night anymore. And Lena's eyes hurt a little because of the sudden light. Once they were used to it, she realized she was staring at her dormitory's roof.

She sighed. It was just a dream. Or more like a nightmare. Now, that annoying girl was even interfering in her good memories.

She stood up, and began to get ready, trying not to think about that.

xxxxx

When Rose woke up, she realized what she had done.

"_I changed my mind about tomorrow."_

She suddenly felt embarrassed. Why did she have to tell him that in front of everyone in their common room? Ah right, because she lost it for about a few minutes. All because of that stupid prick.

If he hadn't messed up with her head, she would never have accepted a date on Valentine's Day. A date with a very nice guy, yes, but still on Valentine's Day. And everyone in school had probably already heard about that little scene she made.

She buried herself into her cover. She so didn't want to go have breakfast right now.

She'd always been the kind to think before acting. But she'd broken this rule of hers yesterday, not to mention she other rule she'd shattered during the process.

"Rose Weasley, what have you done?" She said to herself, still under her cover.

"You have basically said you'd be willing to go on a date with Loann Lebron in front of the whole Gryffindor house," she heard Lena answer. "Now, stop acting like a child and stop hiding."

She obeyed, and glared at her best friend, "Thank you for rubbing it in."

"Hey, don't blame me for your own actions."

"You should've kept me from doing it," Rose retorted.

"How? When I saw you, you were already standing in front of Loann. Plus, it's not that bad. I'm sure you'll have fun."

Rose calmed down, and gave in, "You're right. Loann's really nice, and I had fun talking to him yesterday."

"See? Now, get ready so we can go eat breakfast."

Rose sighed as she was standing up, "Fine."

xxxxx

The two girls were now on their way to the Great Hall. And just as Rose had imagined, everyone was whispering and glancing at her.

"Why did I do that?" She grunted again.

"I actually wanted to ask you that question. Of course, I'm glad you listened to my advice, but I'm kind of surprised."

"I don't know, I was thinking about yesterday afternoon, and suddenly decided to give it a shot. That's all," she said. And that was the truth, only she was more thinking about Malfoy than Loann at that time, and she accepted to go on a date with him only to forget about her archenemy.

"He must've made a really good impression on you, then," Lena concluded.

Rose smiled weakly, not proud to lie to her closest friend, but she really couldn't say the true reason out loud, "I guess he did."

They stopped in front of the Great Hall's entrance.

Rose took a deep breath and said, "Ok, let's go."

Lena nodded and entered the room first, Rose following her closely. As they were walking towards their usual seats, the whole Gryffindor table – where about three quarters of the Gryffindor students were already sitting – was cheering for her.

She lowered her head and quickly sat next to Albus, and Lena next to her. At least, Loann didn't seem to have arrived yet. She didn't want to talk to him about this in front of everyone, again.

"My cousin's all grown up, boldly confessing in public and all," Albus teased her.

"Shut up and eat," she snapped quietly.

He leaned back, "I'm a little disappointed to have missed the whole scene you know."

"Oh, that was terrific. You should've seen the look on her face as she walked towards him, and then said confidently, 'I changed my mind about tomorrow'," Peter re-enacted the scene. "And everyone's jaw dropped, including Loann's. Well, not really, he did have to keep his cool in front of his new Valentine, but I'm sure he was very surprised."

Rose glared and him, and threatened him, "If I were you, I wouldn't bother a girl when she's in a bad mood. Especially when that girl knows a lot of ways to make you suffer."

Peter's smile dropped, and he shuddered a little, "Merlin you can be scary."

Lena and Albus laughed at their friend.

"Anyway, can we just eat peacefully and not talk about this anymore, please?" She begged them.

Albus smiled at her in a comforting way, "Fine, we'll stop." He then added quietly, "At least until you've finished to eat."

Rose hit his arm, "That's not fun." And yet, she was smiling.

Just when Rose thought she could have a little break, she heard a very familiar and very unwanted voice exclaim, "If it isn't the girl of the day! Oh sorry, I mean the _Valentine_ of the day."

Rose grunted and rolled her eyes. Of course he'd be there to taunt her.

She glared at Scorpius Malfoy who was standing behind her and Albus' seats, his oh so very annoying smirk on his face.

"Leave me alone, Malfoy," she snapped. She was trying her best to keep her calm and not yell that it was all his fault. And it was killing her, because she had to keep quiet while listening to him gloating at her embarrassment.

"Why? I was just congratulating you," he told her, his smirk still in place.

"Mate, it's really not the right time," Albus warned him gently. He usually let them argue as much as they wanted, but he felt that Rose was about to snap. It had been a long time since he hadn't seen that much steel in her eyes. It looked like she could literally kill the Slytherin with just a stare.

Scorpius seemed to get the hint as he also noticed Rose's facial expression. He sighed, his hands up, "I don't get why she's all riled up because she's got a date, but fine. I'll leave the little Gryffindor princess alone. See you later, Potter." He then went to his own table and sat next to Damon.

"I swear I'll end up killing him one time," Rose declared, still glaring angrily at Scorpius.

"Please don't, I like talking to you without metal bars between us," Albus joked, "Plus, I happen to appreciate the bloke."

"I still don't understand that phenomenon," Rose replied, but she had still calmed down.

"Guys are simple. We began to talk about Quidditch, and that was it, really," Albus explained humorously.

Rose chuckled, "Yes, you are."

xxx

Meanwhile, at the Slytherin table, Damon said to Scorpius, "That's disappointing."

Scorpius frowned, "What?"

"I was expecting a death fight between you and Rose, but you just walked away before she could even snap, which is pretty peculiar of you," Damon explained.

"I may enjoy taunting her, but I do not have a death wish. She had a fairly scary look back there," Scorpius said in a laid-back manner. "I really don't get why, though. She should be happy to have a new little boyfriend. Heck, she even was she one who asked him out."

Damon chuckled at his friend's obvious jealousy, but didn't say a word about it.

"She just doesn't like the attention. Everyone is talking about her after all."

"That's her own fault. After claiming for years she would never date on Valentine's Day, she does that," Scorpius scoffed. "Miss Perfect can't even handle her own promises."

"Watch it, Scorp', someone might hear you talking about her like that," a little voice whispered from behind them.

They both turned their head, and saw a smiling Sicilia.

"So what?"

Sicilia shrugged and took the seat next to Scorpius, "I was just saying." She took an apple and took a bite out of it, "So, what did you do to her yesterday?"

Damon frowned, "Yesterday?"

"Yes," she took another bite, "She couldn't be that angry at our Scorpy only because she was embarrassed to be the object of everyone's gossips that didn't involve him in any way. So, what did you do?"

Scorpius seemed to remember something, but only said, "I already told you not to use that childish nickname."

"Don't try to change the subject, _Scorpy_," she smirked.

This girl was really something. She was the only one who managed to have Scorpius Malfoy at her mercy. She knew all his weaknesses, and could read him like an open book. She also could do that to pretty much everyone, including him, even if he would never admit that out loud. But nobody could read her, and if they tried, they could only see what she was willing to reveal. Rose may be the smartest girl of their year according to her grades and skills, but Sicilia would probably beat her by far in a psychological battle. Damon was glad she was naturally kind-hearted, because she could be awfully scary at times. Brilliant… but scary.

Scorpius sighed, "Nothing, really. I wasn't even mean to her."

"Then, what?" Sicilia tried to dig deeper.

"No-thing," he repeated.

But Sicilia gave him a look.

He sighed, "I don't even know why I'm trying to convince you, I don't care if you believe me or not."

She finally smiled, "Fine, I believe you."

That girl, seriously.

But then, she looked like she was thinking about it and said, "Maybe you did something without being aware of it, then."

Scorpius rolled his eyes, "Stop analysing everything and just eat your bloody apple." She was still holding it after only taking two bites out of it.

"Fine, I'll just let you think about it, then," she smiled again, and focused on her apple instead.

Judging by Scorpius' silence, Damon realized she'd just casually managed to put thoughts into his head. That was how skilful she was.

xxxxx

After breakfast, everyone went back to their dormitories. But Albus quickly couldn't stand it anymore and went out for a walk. That's when he saw Scorpius lying on a bench, napping.

He raised his eyebrows and approached him, "Don't you have a bed to sleep in?"

Scorpius didn't open his eyes, "Right now, I do not. The girls are too loud and I couldn't relax at all, even in the boys' dormitory."

"I know the feeling," Albus said sorrowfully. He moved away his friend's legs and sat on the bench.

"Please help yourself," Scorpius exclaimed sarcastically as he straightened up.

He ignored Scorpius' complaints and suddenly declared, "Girls are like mogwais."

Scorpius looked at him as if he was speaking another language, but then just said, "If a mogwai is some sort of hysterical beast, I agree."

"My father showed me an old film called _The Gremlins_ once. In it, mogwais are really cute and lovely little creatures at first, but if you feed them after midnight, they become creepy and dangerous monsters called gremlins. So, girls are mogwais that turn into gremlins on Valentine's Day," he explained.

Scorpius nodded slowly, "Sounds like a good description."

"Right?"

xxxxx

The girls' dormitory was a tremendous mess. Clothes were lying, hanging, and even flying everywhere. Everyone was talking at the same time, asking what they should wear, or discussing about their mutual dates, or saying how the others were lucky to have a date.

Chaos. That's the only word that came to Rose's mind when she entered the room.

She just stood there, not believing it was actually even worse than last year. Probably because a lot more have found someone this year. She was impressed at how organized they all were in this chaos. Everyone knew their place, where and with who their clothes were, and even what perfume each one had put on.

Girls are frighteningly amazing when they're in love, Rose concluded. And she also understood why Lena didn't want to go up and stayed in their common room instead. She decided to go join her.

She was about to go out of the room, when she heard Lily's voice call her, "Rosie, wait!"

She turned around and saw her little cousin smiling mischievously at her as she was handing her a small piece of paper, "That's for you, from _Loann_."

Rose still hadn't seen Loann yet. According to Sylvia, he woke up early and had already finished taking breakfast before Rose came in. Then, he seemed to be staying in the boys' dormitory. She was wondering if he was avoiding her because he was embarrassed of her.

So, she was curious to see what was written on this. Could he have changed his mind?

"It's not bad news," Lily commented with a playful smile. "Now, excuse me, but I need to find the perfect outfit for this afternoon." She left Rose alone.

Rose unfolded the piece of paper, and read 'Will wait for you at 2pm in front of the astronomy tower. – Loann.

She smiled at his thoughtfulness before going down as she initially intended to do.

She put the little piece of paper inside her pocket and went to sit next to Lena, "I give up, I guess I just won't start reading my book today."

Lena chuckled, "Shouldn't you be getting ready too instead of reading a book anyway?"

"I already got ready before breakfast."

Lena shook her head, smiling, "Right."

Rose was about to say something, but she saw Peter urging towards the door, and called him, "Peter, where are you going?"

"To the Ravenclaw Tower, before I'm too late," he said without slowing down or even looking at her. And like that, he was gone.

Lena was staring at the door, and suddenly asked, "Rose, do you know what day it is?"

Rose frowned at the sudden determined look Lena had on her face, and didn't see where she was going, "Valentine's Day, who doesn't know?"

"We're the 14th of February. I just realized it's already the middle of February and I still haven't completed my bet. And I do not want to have a dare," Lena merely said before storming out of the room.

Rose smiled a little, hoping everything would work out for her best friend.

xxxxx

Lena was running as fast as she could so that she could catch up with Peter. She didn't want to sit and do nothing like in the dream she had had. She needed to stop him. When she finally found him, she yelled, "Wait!"

Peter halted and turned around. He looked confused, "Lena? What are you doing? I'm in a hurry."

She walked up to him, and said between two breaths, "Don't go."

He frowned, "What are you talking about? Go where?"

"To the Ravenclaw Tower," she only said.

"But I have to, or Petunia –" He started to argue but she cut him out.

"Why are you back together with her anyway?" She blurted out.

He put the back of his hand on her forehead, "Are you sick or something? You're not making any sense."

She moved his hand away, "Answer me, Peter. Why are you dating Petunia again? I thought you didn't really like her."

Peter stared at her for a few seconds before laughing out loud, "What made you think that I'm dating her again?"

Lena frowned, "You're not?"

"Of course not. We're just friends."

"Then, why were you running to see her?"

"She told me she'd cook for her boyfriend. But James just told me Ludovic was allergic to one of the ingredients she'd use, so I wanted to warn her before her date was ruined because the poor lad has to be brought to the nursery," he explained.

"But, she hugged you yesterday," Lena said, still not believing how wrong she had been.

"Yes, because I was the one who introduced her to Ludovic after she asked me that favour a few days ago, she was just thanking me."

Lena had finally calmed down, "Oh." This was so embarrassing.

"So, why didn't you want me to go?" He asked her.

Lena smiled dryly and shook her head, "You seemed so serious a few minutes ago, but I was afraid she might playing with you again, that's all."

He grinned, "I didn't know you worried about me. But thank you."

"It's normal between friends," she told him, trying not to sound too bitter.

"So, can I go now? Because she might leave her dormitory anytime soon," he asked her, pointing his thumb behind him.

"Of course," she merely said.

He smiled at her, "Great. See you then." He turned around and began to run again.

She just stared at his silhouette until he disappeared on the right. Then, she sat on a low wall near her, she didn't have any strength in her legs left.

She was feeling so stupid. But the worst wasn't that she was embarrassed to have misunderstood him, nor that, in the end, she couldn't bring herself to tell him how she felt. No, the worst was his reaction. He didn't even wonder why she had been running like crazy just to tell him not to go see Petunia. He was only very amused by the conclusion she'd made.

Sometimes, she was wondering if he really was brainless, or if he was just acting like he was.

But whether he really didn't understand or just acted as if he didn't, it was the same. Either way, it meant that he didn't like her more than a friend. She was now a hundred percent sure of that.

xxxxx

It had been more than an hour since Lena stormed out of their common room to go after Peter, and frankly, Rose was getting worried. None of them had returned yet. And she didn't know if it was a good sign or a bad one, but she couldn't just wait and see.

She therefore decided to go look for them.

After a few minutes, she saw Albus and Scorpius talking on a bench outside. She grunted at the sight of the Slytherin, but still went to talk to them.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for your little date?" Scorpius asked her with a hint of sarcasm as soon as he noticed her.

Rose just rolled her eyes, "Sorry, but I don't have the time to fight with you. I'm searching for Lena, have you seen her?"

"Not since I went out of our tower, why? What's wrong?" Albus answered.

"Probably nothing. But I have the feeling she might be feeling down or something," Rose told him.

"Why would she?" Albus asked.

"She went after Peter when he said he was going to see Petunia."

"So?" Scorpius wasn't following her.

Rose ignored him and was only talking to Albus, "She said she'd complete her new year's resolution. But it was an hour ago, so I'm afraid it didn't go well."

Albus finally understood. "If that's true, she didn't come back because she didn't want to. She probably needs some time alone. I think you should just wait at least until lunch, and if she doesn't show up then, we'll go look for her, ok?"

Rose wasn't really happy with this solution, but she knew he was probably right, "Fine."

She sat next to Albus.

"Are you staying?" Scorpius asked her, his eyebrow raised.

"Well, yes. If I go back on my own I might just end up searching for her anyway. Plus, it's like a zoo back there," she replied.

"Is she bipolar?" Scorpius asked Albus.

"She isn't. She's just back to her mogwai form, I guess."

Rose hit Albus' arm, "Did you just imply I was a gremlin before?"

Albus looked surprised, "How did you know?"

Rose rolled her eyes, "I watched that film with you, you idiot."

"I actually forgot that detail," he told her honestly.

Malfoy laughed at his friend's silliness, which made Rose glare at him, "I wouldn't laugh if I were you."

Malfoy smirked arrogantly at her, "Why, will you turn into a crazy monster again? Oh wait, you're always like that around me."

"And whose fault is that?" She retorted vehemently.

"Yours. I didn't do anything this time," he said confidently.

"_You didn't do anything_?" She couldn't believe it. Her tone was starting to get angrier, "If it weren't for you I wouldn't have–" She suddenly shut it, realizing what she was about to say.

"You wouldn't have what?" He asked her. "What did I do to ruin your little life again? Tell me."

She had to think about something, anything, that could bring her out of this situation.

But Albus stood up and said, "Stop it, you two. I came here for calm, so if you want to fight, go somewhere else."

Malfoy raised his eyebrow at Albus, "I was there first, remember? And _you_ woke me up."

Saved by Albus. He'd managed to change the subject without her getting suspicious.

"Wow, the precious Scorpius Malfoy sleeping on a bench?" she mocked.

"Try to go to my common room and you'll see if you don't prefer to sleep on a bench," he told her.

"Well, I was in the girls' dormitory, so I think I've seen worse than you." She sighed, "I just want this day to be over and go back to our normal life."

"You're probably the only girl with a date thinking that right now," Albus remarked.

"Don't you like your little book loaner?" Malfoy taunted her.

"His name is Loann. And he'll probably be the only good side of this day," she retorted.

"Really? By your behaviour from this morning, I thought you were having regrets," he smirked. "You still can go back on your answer, and choose the book or your homework instead you know."

Rose rolled her eyes at him, getting really tired of his annoying remarks, "Why do you even care anyway?"

"I don't, but I was trying to give you a friendly advice," he said nonchalantly.

"Friendly," Rose scoffed, "Right."

"What did I tell you? Stop fighting," Albus finally intervened. "Or do you really want that I leave you two alone?"

"Please do, so that I can murder him," Rose told him while giving a deathly stare at Malfoy.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself," Malfoy dared her.

"That's it. I'm leaving. I have to meet Suzy before lunch anyway. Have fun together," Albus declared before really leaving them.

Rose couldn't believe it he just did that.

"You even scare off your own cousin, that's something," Malfoy commented.

She glared at him, "As if you didn't play a part in this."

xxxxx

Peter was walking around the castle. He had been able to warn Petunia about Ludovic's allergy, and left her about ten minutes ago. But he didn't want to go back to his dormitory. Or more like, he couldn't.

He didn't have the courage to face her.

Even if he tried to hide it, and never admitted it to anyone, not even himself, he liked her. He maybe even loved her. How couldn't he? She was beautiful, fun, kind, smart, and strong-willed.

So, when he heard her yell at him to wait, he was more than surprised.

When he heard her say 'Don't go,' his heart skipped a beat.

When she questioned him about him and Petunia, he tried not to look affected.

When he asked her why she didn't want him to go see Petunia, he was afraid of the answer.

He wasn't a complete idiot, he knew she didn't ran to the point of being out of breath just because she was worried about her friend possibly being heartbroken. But he didn't want to face that reality, and feigned knowing nothing.

So, when she answered she was just worried, he didn't know how to react, and ended up trying to lighten the mood.

When she pronounced she word 'friends,' it hurt. And it hurt even more to see her expression when she said it. But he still acted as if he didn't understand the situation, and left her with a smile.

After thinking about it, maybe he _was_ a complete idiot.

He was finally starting to think that maybe, just maybe, she returned his feelings, and yet he pushed her away.

In his defence, he really hadn't seen that one coming, and had been totally taken aback.

He wasn't used to girls running after him, and not to mention to Lena running after him. He'd never been really popular. He wasn't as nice as Albus. He wasn't as cool as James. He wasn't as smart as Malfoy. And he wasn't as confident as Stones. He knew most people saw him as the fool of Gryffindor.

It was hard to admit that, but it was the truth. He didn't have anything special in him, nothing that made him stand out.

Why would Lena ever waste her time on someone like him? She was always repeating how brainless he was. He was sure she'd never seen him as a man. Or at least, he had been sure of that until today.

So, when he started to think that maybe he had a chance, he freaked out, telling himself it was impossible. And he instinctively played the fool again.

His head was a mess. He should be happy that she may return his feelings, but he couldn't bring himself to believe such a thing. She didn't say it clearly, so he couldn't let himself think it was true.

He could've dug deeper, to see if she was lying or not, if there wasn't something more than just worry that explained her actions. But he didn't dare. He was a coward. A brainless coward.

He suddenly stopped walking. He couldn't just leave things like that. He had to find her.

He turned around and rushed towards the Gryffindor tower, hoping she'd be there.

xxxxx

Damon and Sicilia were already heading towards the Great Hall to have lunch, when Sicilia suddenly halted, as if she'd seen something.

"What's wrong?" Damon asked her.

She didn't say a word and just pointed her chin towards the staircase on their right. Lena was sitting on it, alone. She was staring into space with a somehow sad expression on her face.

"You go first, I'll join you later," Damon then said to Sicilia before walking towards Lena, worried.

Sicilia watched him go, cast a sympathetic look at Lena and went on her way.

"You look better when you smile you know," Damon told Lena as he was getting closer.

She looked surprised to hear his voice, then went back to staring at the wall next to her, "You know I've never paid much attention to how I look."

Damon sat next to her, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," she told him.

"Do you want to go eat? It's almost midday."

"I'm not hungry."

"But I am, so let's go," he got up while taking her by the hand.

She resisted and stayed still, a ghost of a smile on her face, "You're a big boy, you can go without me."

"I wouldn't be a gentleman if I did that," he argued.

She raised her eyebrow at him, "Since when you're a gentleman, anyway?"

He feigned to think about it, and frowned "Since never. Right. But still, I won't leave you alone in this state. If Rose knows about this, she'll probably kick my arse. I saw her in action, and I don't want to be her next target."

Lena chuckled, "I wish I'd been there to witness this, too."

"Now, let's go," he moved his head to emphasize his point. "Hungry or not, you have to eat."

She seemed to finally agree and began to stand up, but then she looked sad again, "I can't."

"Why?"

"You probably don't want to hear why," she merely replied.

So, it was because of him. Of course he wasn't really surprised, but here was the confirmation.

"Since when do you care about what I want or not?" He joked, trying to lighten the mood. "So what, did you see them together again or what?"

She shook her head no, looking at her feet, "He told me they were just friends. Turns out she's dating someone else."

Damon frowned, "You should be happy, then. I don't understand."

"It doesn't change anything."

He sighed, "Of course it doesn't, because he still doesn't know how you feel. Why don't you go confess to him already?"

She finally looked up, and he could see tears in her eyes, "I tried, I really tried. But I couldn't. But even if I didn't, he should've known. If he wanted to know, he would've understood me back then. But he didn't, he just smiled as if nothing happened."

And she burst out crying, finally letting it all out.

He hugged her tightly, hiding her crying face into his chest. He didn't say anything, and let her cry as much as she needed to.

xxxxx

Peter was going crazy. She wasn't in their dormitories. She wasn't where he'd left her. She wasn't in the girls' bathroom either. And no, he didn't go see by himself, but he went as far as asking Moaning Myrtle to go check, and she wasn't easy to deal with. He still had goose bumps because of the weird things she'd told him.

But he didn't find her anywhere. He realized it was almost midday, maybe he'd find her at the Great Hall.

"Peter Crawfooord," he shivered again at her high-pitched singsong voice.

"What now?" He barked.

Moaning Myrtle looked shocked and hurt, "Why are you angry? And here I was going to tell you something helpful." She flew into a corner and began to complain angrily, "Nobody likes _Moaning Myrtle_ and her annoying voice. They only ask her for favours, and then toss her out when they're finished. Poor Moaning Myrtle…" She was now sobbing.

Peter sighed. She really was hard to deal with. But what she said made him curious, so he used a gentle voice and said, "I'm sorry, Myrtle. I'm just in a bad mood and you surprised me."

She looked at him, grinned, and flew at high-speed to stop right in front of his face, "It's ok, now that you apologized."

He forced a smile, "So, why were you looking for me again?"

"Oh, right. I'm very good at detecting the sobs of a girl, so when I heard some I went to see. Turns out it's your precious little Lena Reynolds."

His eyes widened, "Where is she?"

"Down the stairs in the west aisle. The ones that are the closest to the Great Hall," she advised him.

"Thank you so much," he exclaimed before starting to running towards the said stairs.

"Also, she was with another boy. A handsome and sexy one, too. I thought you should know," he heard Moaning Myrtle yell at him, obviously enjoying taunting him.

But whether she was with Stones or who knows who else, he didn't care; he only wanted to see her. If Moaning Myrtle was saying the truth, she was crying. And he couldn't stand that.

He slowed down when he arrived in front of the said stairs. He walked down them quietly, and stopped when he saw them.

Damon Stones was hugging her.

He instinctively hid behind the wall, and watched the scene from there.

They slowly broke the hug, and he heard Lena say, "Thank you."

Stones smirked, "You know I'm always here to cheer up cute girls."

She laughed slightly, and hit his arm jokingly, "You playboy."

He grinned, and put his arm around her shoulders, "Come on, you go to the bathroom to freshen up a little, and then we'll go eat. I was hungry already, but now I'm starving."

"So, in the end, you only want to eat," she rebuked him humorously.

"Of course. A man's stomach needs to be filled, we're pretty weak on this point."

"Poor you," she mocked as they were walking away, Stones' arm still around her shoulders.

Once Peter was sure they were gone, he stopped hiding, and went straight to the Great Hall.

xxxxx

"But seriously, are you really going to show up on your date like that?" Scorpius asked Rose, eyeing her as they were walking in the corridors.

Rose sighed loudly, getting tired of his remarks, "I'm perfectly fine like that, yes."

"I see, so you don't feel the need to impress him. Interesting," he concluded.

"Can't a girl want to stay natural?" She snapped. He was so annoying.

"I'm just saying it's a little too casual for a first date. Isn't it a sign that you don't care?" He insisted.

She rolled her eyes, "Believe what you want, I don't care."

"So you're not denying it," he smirked.

"Do you have a death wish or what?" She threatened him.

He held his hands up, "Easy there, I was just making conversation. Why are you so sensitive when it comes to this subject anyway?"

"Because I've got enough people gossiping about me and scrutinizing me already. I know you never miss a chance to taunt me, but I really need a break right now, ok?"

He stared at her for a second before replying surprisingly calmly, "Fine, I'll stop."

She didn't think that would actually work, so she said the only thing that came to her mind, "Thank you."

She expected him to tease her for saying those words, but he didn't.

Since the silence was killing her, she found herself asking him, "And you, what will you do this afternoon?"

"Avoid the whining heartbroken girls, mostly."

Rose chuckled, her eyebrow raised, "Why, are you afraid they'd jump at you?"

"I'm more afraid they'd want me to _listen_ to them," he made a face and shuddered at the thought. "Once, I made the mistake to tell one to stop crying because she was too loud and annoying. I don't know how, but she thought it was an invitation for talking to me, and she wouldn't stop for an entire hour."

She raised her eyebrows at him, amused, "So even the selfish Scorpius Malfoy is defenceless in front of a crying girl."

"Well, I'm not heartless," he told her. "Plus, I tried to escape, but she wouldn't let me."

Rose laughed, imagining the scene, "Of course you did." That sounded more like him.

"Am I dreaming or what?" They heard Damon's voice exclaim.

Lena was next to him, and pinched his arm.

"What was that for?" He complained.

She smirked, "To make sure you weren't dreaming."

Rose smiled at their antics. At least, Lena seemed in a good mood.

"How come you two are together?" Rose asked them.

They briefly looked at each other, and Lena said, "We bumped into each other on our way to the Great Hall. And you two?"

"Albus was actually with us first, but he selfishly left us alone to join his girlfriend," Rose nagged.

"I'm surprised he did. This morning you looked like you were on the verge of killing Scorpius, how come you seem to get along now?" Damon asked.

"Don't worry, a few minutes ago I was about to hex him," she assured them.

"She's a peach, isn't she?" Scorpius commented ironically.

"Talking about peaches, let's go eat!" Damon exclaimed happily while heading towards the Great Hall, his friends following him.

When they were in front of the entrance, Rose stopped, Lena seemed to hesitate.

"What's going on?" Rose asked her quietly. Did something happen after all?

Lena smiled slightly at her, "I'll tell you later. But I'm fine, don't worry."

Scorpius stopped next to Rose and asked the girls, "What are you doing? Aren't you going in?"

Damon put a hand on each girl's shoulder and smiled, "Let's go."

He and Scorpius then went to sit at their table, while Lena and Rose finally headed towards theirs. When she saw Loann, Rose smiled slightly at him as a greeting, but didn't stop so she wouldn't grab attention.

Albus and Peter were already sitting next to each other. Lena sat across Albus who smiled at them, and Rose sat next to her and across Peter. The latter kept staring at his plate, ignoring them.

Rose felt relieved that everyone seemed to have lost interest for her love life, but she was now worried about Lena. Judging by the atmosphere, something did happen between her and Peter, and it didn't seem good at all.

"Mate, will you stop harassing that poor piece of meat? It's dead already," Albus told Peter.

Peter finally ate the piece of meat, and suddenly stood up, "I don't feel well. I'll go back to our dormitory." And he left.

Albus and Rose frowned at his behaviour. Rose wanted to ask Lena what happened, but she felt like it wasn't the right time, so she let it go. Thankfully, Albus seemed to have made the same decision.

Lunchtime was less loud than usual, but it still went ok, even if Lena was a little off during the whole thing.

xxxxx

Once they were back at their dormitory and the other girls had all finished getting ready, Rose took the chance to ask Lena what happened.

After Lea finished explaining, Rose frowned, "I understand how you feel. But if you didn't fight or anything, how come he acted like he did during lunch?"

Lena merely shrugged, "How would I know?" She then looked at the clock on the wall, and smiled at Rose, "You should go now, or you'll be late for your date."

But Rose didn't want to leave her like that.

"I'm fine. Don't ruin your date because of me, ok?" Lena insisted before Rose could even utter a word.

Rose sighed, "Fine. See you later then."

"Of course. Now, shoo!" Lena happily waved her arms at her best friends.

"Ok, ok, I'm going," Rose laughed and finally left the room.

xxxxx

Rose smiled when she saw Loann waiting for her in front of the Astronomy Tower. She greeted him, "Hey."

He smiled back at her, "Hey."

"I hope you didn't wait for too long."

"No, I got here just a few minutes ago," he assured her.

"So, why did you choose that place?" She asked him.

"The Tower is out of bounds, so I thought it'd be calm around here."

They then heard people laughing. Rose saw Petunia go out of the Astronomy Tower with her boyfriend… Ludovic Brinson? _He_ was her boyfriend? No wonder he never asked her for an answer, he'd already found someone else.

The happy couple halted when they saw Rose and Loann.

"Rose, hey," Petunia greeted her politely.

"Petunia," Rose nodded her head, then looked at her boyfriend, "Ludovic."

"Well, that's awkward," Ludovic commented. "I'm sorry Rose, but I really like Petunia. I hope you'll be able to move on happily."

Rose raised her eyebrows, not believing he was acting as if she should be heartbroken by that scene, "You do realize that I'm also on a date, right? Plus, I never planned on accepting your invitation."

Ludovic finally noticed Loann's presence, "Oh, sorry mate, I didn't see you."

"No problem," Loann said.

"Wait, did you ask Rose out or what?" Petunia connected the dots.

"Well, yes. But that was before I met you, I mean it," he took her hands and smiled gently at her. "I only have eyes for you now."

Petunia grinned, touched, "Oh, you're so sweet."

And they began to snog in front of them.

"I think that's our cue," Rose announced before taking Loann by the arm, "Let's go take a walk."

Once they were a few meters away, Loann said, "That was… Interesting."

"Sorry about that."

"You don't have to be sorry," he assured her.

xxxxx

Lena was reading a book in the Gryffindor common room when Peter went out of the boys' dormitory.

When he saw her, he immediately turned around and went back to his dormitory.

That was it. Lena couldn't take it anymore. She should be the one avoiding him, not the other way around.

Without thinking, she rushed in the boys' dormitory, surprising the few boys that were still here.

Peter frowned when he saw her enter the room, "What are you doing here?"

She was glaring at him as she said to the other students, "I'm sorry, but could you please leave us alone?"

She might've looked a little scary since they all immediately obeyed without even trying to protest.

Once they were alone, she asked, "Why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not avoiding you," he denied.

"Cut the crap. You are. At lunch, you left when Rose and I arrived. Just now, you saw me and went back to your room. So tell me what the hell's happening?"

He looked away, "I said I didn't feel well."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm tired of your little act. You have absolutely no reason to be mad at me. I should be the one who's mad. You don't have the right to take that from me." Her voice was getting louder.

"I'm not mad, ok?"

"Then what are you, huh?"

"I don't know!" He snapped, finally looking at her. "I really don't," he said in a calmer voice.

Her facial expression softened, "What happened? You were smiling when you left before."

"Your resolution, about being honest about your feelings, are you following it?" He asked her out of nowhere.

"Why are you asking me that now?"

"Are you or not?" He insisted.

She looked straight at him and answered, "Not entirely."

"Were you following it when you came to me this morning?"

"I was," she immediately answered.

"Oh."

She went on, "I was, until I chickened out."

She saw his eyes widen, "What do you mean?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"I do. Or maybe I don't. I don't know anymore," he rambled.

"Then, you can ask me one question, and I promise that I'll tell you the truth right away. Only one question."

"Fine," he came closer and looked into her eyes. But his eyes looked sorrowful. And he finally asked, "Did you cry because of me today?"

She hadn't seen that one coming. How did he even know? Did he see her? She wanted to ask him, but she promised she'd answer him honestly, "Yes."

He took a few steps back and sat on his bed, as if he didn't have any strength left, "I see."

She frowned, "That's it? You don't want to know more?"

"That's it. I had the right to ask only one question after all, that was your rule," he smiled weakly at her.

"Since when do you care about rules, huh?" She snapped.

"Since now, apparently."

"So what, you don't want more details so that you can act as if nothing happened, just like you did this morning?" She was getting angrier and angrier.

"I don't deserve those details."

She frowned, "What are you talking about?"

He stood up again, and shouted angrily, "I made you _cry_, for Merlin's sake! I don't deserve anything from you."

That's when she realized he wasn't angry at her, but at himself.

He then looked away and said quietly, "I used to be the one making you laugh. But I made you cry, and someone else was able to cheer you up."

"Did you see us?" Lena finally asked.

He didn't answer.

"Did you see Damon and me, Peter?" She asked more loudly. "Is that why you're acting like that?"

"I did," he snapped, "And I realized what I feared was true. You should stop wasting your time with me and go see him."

"And what gives you the right to decide what's better for me or not?" She yelled.

"I don't decide. I just know," he said painfully.

"You don't know," she retorted. "If you did, you would've never said that." She could feel the tears welling up.

"See? All I do now is make you cry!"

"Yes, because you won't see the truth!" She yelled back.

"What truth?" Their voices kept getting louder.

"That I'm in love with you, you idiot!" She finally shouted, letting the tears flow down her cheeks. "That's why I stopped you this morning. That's why I cried when I realized you'll always only see me as a friend. That's why I'm crying right now."

He didn't move nor talk. He was probably too taken aback to do anything.

"How could you love someone like me?" She heard him ask. "I'm just a lazy, brainless fool. You're the first to say so."

She looked up, smiling slightly, "And you are most of the time."

He frowned, "Then, why–"

"What's my favourite hot drink?" She suddenly asked.

"Hazelnut hot chocolate," he answered without thinking.

"What's my favourite colour?"

"Dark blue."

"My favourite sport?"

"Basketball."

"My favourite season?"

"Winter."

"Why?"

"Because nights are longer and you like the atmosphere, especially when everything's covered with snow."

"What do I do when I'm nervous?"

"You play with your ear."

"Which one?"

"The right one."

Lena finally smiled, "You're my closest friend beside Rose, and you're probably the one who knows me the most. You may act like a fool and seem to not have a single care in the world, but all these years, you've been able to cheer me up every single time I was feeling down, even when I didn't say anything."

She was especially thinking about the dream she had this morning, which was in fact a memory from last year – without the part where Petunia popped up out of nowhere, obviously. It may be hard to believe, but the moment she realized she truly loved Peter was last year, when she was watching him pouting and drinking his milk chocolate in front of the fire like a child. Of course, it wasn't because he looked like a child, but because of everything else.

She went on, "And you're always pouting when we tease you, but when you're truly feeling down, you don't let it show because you don't want to be a burden to anyone. Today was the first time you let it show, and it was because you were angry at yourself for hurting me."

Peter didn't seem to know what to say.

"I like to believe that I know you just as much as you know me. The only thing you don't seem to understand about me is how I feel about you, just like I ignore how you feel about me." After a few seconds she added, "So, if you could just tell me that'd be grea–"

He suddenly hugged her tightly, shutting her up.

"I think you already know."

Lena smiled as she hugged him back. "So, I guess I won the bet?" She joked.

He broke slightly the hug, feigning shock, "I should've known there was something else motivating you."

"You can't blame me for not wanting to walk around in ridiculous clothes. I may not pay much attention to my looks, but there's a limit."

"It would've be fun to watch, though," he smirked.

She smiled maliciously, "Maybe you'll lose, and you'll see how fun it actually is."

xxxxx

Rose and Loann had talked about the books they recently read, their favourite authors etc. And they found they had a lot of things in common. Rose was having a pretty good time. Loann really was nice.

"And what's your favourite subject?" Loann asked her.

"Probably Transfiguration, and you?"

"I think, Potions," he told her.

Rose made a face.

Loann frowned, "Don't you like that class?"

"I liked it before, and then I got paired up with Malfoy." She made a face again when she said his name.

"I thought you were kind of friends now. I saw you even came together at lunch."

"We're kind of bound to hang out together, since we have the same group of friends now, but we are not friends," she explained.

"I'm relieved, then," he told her.

She frowned, "Why would you be?"

"I thought there might be something going on between you two since you were often together. But I'm glad it's not like that."

"The only thing going on between us is fighting," she assured him. "If he wasn't good friends with Albus, I would've probably hexed that prick a dozen times already."

Loann chuckled, "You're quite different when you're talking about him."

Rose suddenly felt embarrassed, "Sorry. He's just so annoying–" she was starting to get worked up again, but stopped herself and smiled instead, "But let's stop talking about him. I was in a good mood, I don't want to ruin that."

Loann smiled at her, "Of course. We'll do whatever you want."

And that's when Rose realized, they already were doing whatever she wanted. Since they met up, she had chosen where to go, what to discuss about, and now even what _not_ to discuss about. She took the lead without even noticing.

"How about we do what you want, now," she smiled at him.

"Are you sure?" He asked her as if he had something in mind.

"Well, as long as we don't break more than five school rules," she joked.

"We won't even break one," he assured her before holding her hand. "See?"

"Indeed," she smiled, but it felt a little forced. She'd imagined something else. But she should be glad he was the perfect gentleman, even if holding hands like that felt kind of strange.

They walked a little like that, but Rose felt too awkward, so she broke the silence, "How about we go sit on that bench?"

She took the opportunity to let go of his hand as she headed towards the bench, Loann just behind her. But she slid – Merlin she was clumsy these days – and fell on her butt.

Loann squatted down and asked her, "Are you ok? I'm so sorry I couldn't catch you."

Rose couldn't help thinking that he should've been able to since he was right behind her. She also remembered that Malfoy seemed even farther from her before she almost fell yesterday but still caught her in time. She had to admit he had good reflexes, but that wasn't really surprising from a seeker now that she was thinking about it.

"I'm alright," she assured him while taking the hand he was offering.

But when he pulled her, he used too much strength and she bumped into him, their faces only a few inches from each other.

His expression changed, and he began to lean in, but Rose quickly moved away.

"I'm sorry, I'm so clumsy," she exclaimed awkwardly while brushing the dust off her trousers. But a stain remained. "I think I'll have to wash this, I'm really sorry."

"But we barely see it, you can clean it later."

"No, dressing casually is one thing, but staying like this is really not caring," she mumbled, remembering Malfoy's words. She looked at Loann, "I'm really sorry, I'll see you later. When I'm more presentable."

And she left before he could protest. She felt so embarrassed. Not because of that little stain of course, that was completely an excuse to get out of this situation. No, because he'd tried to kiss her and she moved away. The rest of the date would've been too awkward for her to handle.

Thing is, there was no spark. She felt nothing. And that worried her a little. She thought that being so close to any boy she knew would make her nervous, but it apparently wasn't the case.

She knew that date was a bad idea. And she knew Valentine's Day was not for her. She'll never make that mistake again.

She couldn't go back to their common room yet, or else she'll be sure that everyone would ask her why she already came back, and without her date on top of it. So, she went to the one place she knew would be the most deserted of the castle today. The library.

Before entering, she remembered she should do something about her jeans looking like that. She took her wand out and pointed it at the stain on her trousers, "_Tergeo_ trousers."

She then went in. It really was deserted, there weren't even five students in there. But her mood went quickly down when she recognized one of them, sitting at the farthest table of the place.

Was she cursed or something?

She wondered if she should just turn around before he could see her, but then she heard a quiet whistle. It was him.

She rolled her eyes. What was she, a dog? But she still walked towards him. She felt like if she left now, he'd just follow her and drag the other students' attention towards her.

"I guess you really weren't interested," he only said with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes, and sat next to him, "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I was first staying in my dormitory, but girls could still come in. So, I went to the place where no whining girls would want to go, and even if they did, they wouldn't be allowed to whine anyway."

"You put a lot of thought into this, I see."

"And you, how come you're not with your perfectly nice book owner?" He said with a smile, repeating her words from yesterday.

She shrugged, "I guess perfectly nice isn't really perfect."

"So, he was boring," he concluded while leaning back on his chair.

She wanted to say he wasn't, that they had talked a lot, and that they had a lot in common. But she couldn't. So, she just said, "How about we go rehearse that presentation?"

He seemed surprised at first, but quickly smiled, "Of course, let's find a quiet place where we can talk freely."

They left the library and ended up going in an empty classroom nearby. And Rose began to think that maybe, she had listened to the wrong part of Lena's advice.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

"So, are you or not?" Minzy kept asking Rose.

"Of course not!" Rose was starting to lose her calm. "Now, I'm sorry but I have to go to class."

Today was the 15th of February.

And Rose still couldn't take a breath. The brand new gossip was that she had left Loann for Malfoy. Some even said the two were already in a secret relationship, and Rose had accepted a date with Loann only to make Malfoy jealous as revenge because he was receiving too many gifts from other girls, but in the end she still went to him.

These people just have too much free time on their hands, really. And a strange imagination. How did they come to that conclusion merely because someone had seen Malfoy and her alone together?

That was by far the most unbelievable rumour people made up about her since she was at Hogwarts.

But she was afraid Loann might believe it. She may not be interested in him, but she didn't want him to think she'd treated him like a fool. She hadn't had the chance to talk to him alone yet. And she could swear he was avoiding her, too. She understood him, it would've already been awkward to see him after she left like that yesterday, but those rumours just made it even worse.

She went down and saw Albus and Peter waiting for her in their common room. Lena had already left since she wasn't taking the same class as them, and she felt a little shy because of what happened between her and Peter. Lena had told her everything in the evening. At least one good thing came out of this holiday.

"Here's our favourite celebrity," Albus exclaimed humorously.

"Shut up," she rebuked him. "Come on, we're going to be late."

"Don't worry, we are your bodyguards for the day," Peter informed her as they were on their way to their Transfiguration class.

"Please, don't," she said in a deadpan voice.

"But to think that people would believe that you and Malfoy are together…" Peter laughed quietly, "Just saying it makes me laugh. Those people have lost their minds."

She merely shrugged, "I've stopped trying to understand the logic behind a rumour a long time ago."

As they were walking in the corridors, she was getting the same feeling of people staring at her and talking about her as yesterday, but their expressions had changed.

She could hear the whispers.

"She really used him?"

"But I thought they hated each other…"

"… All a cover…"

"It's true I've seen them together more often recently but, still…"

"There's nothing to see, please go on with what you were doing," Peter exclaimed while putting his hands up to keep people from coming to talk to them. But nobody was trying anyway. They wouldn't dare to go and ask her directly, after all.

Rose rolled her eyes, "Stop it, you'll only attract more attention towards us."

Peter looked disappointed, "Fine. You're lucky I'm in a good mood today."

"I won't forget to thank Lena for that," she teased him.

As they were almost arrived at their classroom, they saw Malfoy and Damon coming from the other way.

"Hey, girlfriend!" Malfoy exclaimed loudly once they were close enough, and put his arm around her shoulders, grinning.

Rose couldn't believe he'd just done that. She yanked his arm away and threw him a death stare, "Are you mad?!" She looked around, and of course most people were watching them.

Albus, Damon, and even Peter, chuckled. Shouldn't he at least be on her side? He was supposed to hate Malfoy even more than she did.

"Come on, everybody knows anyway," that prick went on, enjoying this far too much.

She looked at her best friends, "Shouldn't you two help me?"

Peter put his hands up, "You're the one who told us not to help you."

Albus just continued to laugh, "Come on, it's better to laugh about it."

"You're saying that because you're not the one getting all the glares for something you didn't even do."

"Relax, they'll all have forgotten about this tomorrow," Malfoy assured her.

"And aren't you too relaxed? The rumour is also about you."

"I can't really blame them for thinking you prefer me over that other bloke," he smirked.

She grunted, "Why am I even talking to you?"

Damon put his hands on Rose's shoulders and led her towards the classroom, "Come on girl, enough arguing, we'll be late to class. And knowing you, you wouldn't want that, right?"

Rose glared one last time at Malfoy while they all were going into the classroom, "You're lucky he's got a point."

Malfoy merely laughed and went to his usual seat with Damon following him, and the three Gryffindor students to theirs.

xxxxx

Before lunch, Lena and Rose were together when Rose noticed Loann was finally alone. Rose said to Lena to go first before walking towards him.

"Hey," she greeted quietly.

He turned his head, finally noticing her presence, "Rose, hi."

She couldn't tell if he was mad or not.

"Look, I'm really sorry for yesterday. But I wanted to make sure you knew those rumours were just rumours."

He smiled a little, "Don't worry, I don't usually believe rumours like that."

She smiled back, "Thank you. I wouldn't have cared if I was the only one involved, but I'm sorry you were also caught in it."

"I went on a date with Rose Weasley on Valentine's Day, I knew there would be rumours about me. Even though I expected more positive ones," he said not so jokingly. "And I also wanted to apologize, I shouldn't have done that yesterday."

Rose frowned, not understanding why he was apologizing to her, then remember he'd tried to kiss her. She slightly shook her head, "You did nothing wrong. It's me who reacted the wrong way."

"I have to admit my ego was a little hurt when I found out you ran away from me but your were able to spend the rest of the afternoon with Malfoy after how you'd talked about him. Was I that much bad company?" He smiled dryly.

"Of course not," she merely responded. "I had fun yesterday."

"But that's all, right?"

Rose nodded slightly, "I'm sorry."

Loann smiled, "Don't be, you can't help how you feel. At least you gave me a chance. I hope we can still be friends, though."

Rose smiled, relieved, "Of course."

xxxxx

Lena saw Damon, Scorpius and Sicilia walk together. She smiled and went to greet them, "Hi."

"Hey Lena, how are you?" Sicilia smiled at her.

"I'm fine," she returned her smile.

"You really seem fine," Damon remarked with a grin, "That's good."

Malfoy didn't seem to understand why his best friend had said that, and asked Lena with a smirk, "What, are there bad rumours about you too?"

Lena shook her head, still smiling, "Nothing could beat the ones about you and Rose. By the way, I heard you made trouble again this morning. Rose was so mad."

He shrugged, "Isn't she always mad at me anyway?"

Lena tilted her head, agreeing, "Very often, at least."

They continued to walk together. Damon and Lena were a little behind Scorpius and Sicilia.

"So, did something good happen?" He asked her.

She felt her face getting warmer, "I finally said it."

"And by your smile, I guess it went wall," Damon smiled proudly, "See, I am a man of sound advice."

"I have to give you that," she chuckled, but then looked more serious, "It won't change anything between us, right?"

She really cared about their friendship, but she feared it'd become awkward now.

Damon laughed, "You know I'm not that sensitive. Plus, I apparently never had a single chance, and that's saying something. I mean, look at me, anyone else would've fallen in love with me a long time ago. I therefore humbly admit defeat."

"When are you not arrogant exactly?" She laughed, glad he took it like that.

"When I sleep?" He joked, then frowned, "Wait, I'm even shining with awesomeness in my dreams. So, never I guess."

She rolled her eyes, smiling, and went to the Gryffindor table as they entered the Great Hall, "See you later."

She sat next to Peter, smiling shyly, "Hi."

"Hi," he replied just as shyly.

"Now that you two are together, I've become invisible or what?" Albus remarked jokingly.

"Of course not," Lena assured him, "It's just that I already saw you two hours ago during the Defence Against the Dark Arts class."

"I'm here," they heard Rose suddenly exclaim as she was joining them.

Lena quickly looked around and saw Loann sitting next to Tyler, smiling. She then asked Rose, "So, did it go well?"

"Yes, he wasn't mad at me at all. He even suggested that we stay friends," Rose replied with a smile.

"Poor lad," Peter breathed out, shaking his head sympathetically.

Rose frowned at him, "Why are you saying this?" He was the one who suggested that, not her.

"Because you chose Malfoy over him, duh," Albus joked before Peter could reply.

"Come on, not you too," she complained.

Albus laughed, "Sorry, I couldn't help it. It's just too funny."

"Well, next time, help it anyway," she retorted. "I swear, you spend too much time with that prick."

"I don't, I've always been like that," he assured her, "You just let it go since I'm your cousin and your best friend."

Peter and Lena tilted their heads at the same time, agreeing with Albus.

Rose let out a long sigh, "I hate it when you're right."

xxxxx

"So, are you really fine with that?" Sicilia suddenly asked Damon as they were hanging out in the Slytherin Dungeon.

Damon frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Lena," she clarified.

He shrugged, "She made her choice, and I respect that." He then smirked, "That's her loss, anyway."

Sicilia sighed, "You can respect her choice and not be fine with it. It was the first time I saw you being somewhat serious about a girl. I have to say I'm very surprised you've given up that easily."

Damon thought about it, "I'm a little surprised myself. But I'm fine, really."

Sicilia stared at him for a few seconds, as if she could read his mind with just one look, and finally said with a little smile, "Huh, I guess you really are."

And she'd guessed right. Maybe it was because he'd always felt like he didn't have a chance with her, or maybe it was simply because he doted their friendship more than some possibility to go out with her, but he was fine with her choosing Peter.

At first, he took her as a beautiful challenge. And then, they became friends. Naturally, it only made him more interested in her. But she never saw him like that, and she probably never will. So, Damon felt like he never did before: he wanted to preserve their friendship instead of ruining it because of some attraction that would lead to nothing. And the most surprising was that he actually helped her with Peter. And he didn't do it to play the good role, he did it because he truly cared about her, and therefore just wanted to help.

He was surprised at himself because of that. He had never helped a girl with anything before. He only flirted with them. But, in his defence, he didn't have any girl friends beside Sicilia, and she wasn't one to ask or even need help.

He instinctively looked towards her. She was back to quietly reading her book.

"What's going on?" She asked him without even looking up.

He was a little taken aback by her sudden question, but quickly smirked, "I was just thinking that you are quite a mystery. I never know what's on your mind."

She chuckled, still keeping her attention on the book she was holding, "Just ask, then."

"Fine, so, what are you thinking about right now?"

She smiled slightly, still not moving a bit, "I'm thinking that you've changed a little."

He blinked at her, surprised. Then, he sighed and leaned back on his chair, "Why am I even more lost now than before asking?"

"Probably because you're not too smart," she teased casually.

He raised his eyebrow at her, "And you are too smart for your own good."

"Maybe I am," she concluded while turning a page of the book she was reading.

xxxxx

Rose was walking in the corridors when she spotted Malfoy walking alone at the other end.

She walked towards him, and saw the surprise on his face as she was getting closer. He looked around, checking if there was someone else behind him, then turned again and smirked at her, "Are you sure you want to be seen with me?"

She quickly glared at him before answering, "I just wanted to ask you if you had seen Albus, we were supposed to go to the library together."

"Well, I haven't seen him. Where were you supposed to meet up?"

"Around here, actually," she informed him, "He should arrive soon."

Malfoy leaned against the wall nearby and crossed his arms, "I see."

Rose frowned, "You're not staying, are you?"

"I was also going to the library anyway, so I can keep you company until he arrives," he smirked again.

She merely stared at him, deadpan, "You? Keeping _me_ company? Why would I possibly say no?"

"I knew you'd be happy," he totally ignored the sarcastic tone she'd used.

She sighed, "Well, I guess it's not worse than waiting alone."

He looked at her, his face showing a mix of surprise and satisfaction, "So, does that mean I beat the wall?"

"Well, maybe, since you talk back to me and all," she replied with a small smile, remembering their conversation during the Christmas Ball.

"That's progress, I guess," he joked.

"Rose, sorry I'm a little late," she then heard Albus call her. Once he was in front of them, he smiled, "But I see you weren't alone. Are you guys finally getting along?"

"We just bumped into each other," Rose replied neutrally.

"I'm also going to the library," Malfoy informed him.

"Great, you can stay with us then, it'll be more fun like that. Rose is a little too serious when I study only with her, but the others didn't want to come," Albus told him.

"Well, a library isn't made for fun after all," Rose retorted, crossing her arms. "Plus, since when having me and Malfoy in the same room is fun?"

"Since I know one of you won't end up at the nursery," Albus told her. "Let's go now," he started to walk followed by Malfoy.

"I swear, your cousin is bipolar, Potter," she heard the latter remark.

Rose sighed, rolled her eyes, and finally followed them.

xxxxx

Lena and Peter were hanging out in their common room. She was reading a Muggle novel and he was doing… nothing. Taking a nap, maybe?

It was weird. Not Peter taking a nap, of course. But being alone with him. It was usual for her, and she'd always felt comfortable, but right now, she felt… weird. She couldn't help but think of what happened yesterday, and didn't know how to behave around him anymore. Even if Rose and Albus teased them a little about it, they still hadn't talked about it themselves.

Were they a couple now or not? She could swear he'd also confessed to her, but since then he didn't say a thing about it. And they didn't even kiss.

Lena sighed and closed her book loudly, making Peter open his eyes and frown at her, "What's going on?"

"What is this?" She asked bluntly.

"A book, why, are you going to lecture me again for not touching one of those?"

She rolled her eyes, "Not the book, idiot. This." She waved her hand between the two of them. And before he could answer she added, "And don't you dare say something stupid again."

He opened his mouth, and closed it again, probably because he _was_ going to say something stupid again.

After a few seconds, he finally spoke up, "It's just weird to say it out loud."

She understood him completely. They'd been friends for more than five years, and even though she'd admitted to herself a long time ago that she liked him, now that they'd become like that, she felt even shyer than before.

"It's funny how we're a lot more quiet than yesterday," she chuckled shyly, not looking at him.

"Yesterday, we were too mad to be shy, I guess," he told her.

"You're probably right. So, what do we do now? Act as usual, or…"

He looked at her, "I don't really know, but I'm sure as hell that I don't want to act as usual."

She smiled, her cheeks getting a little warms, "Me neither."

He stood up, and held out his hand for her to take it. Which she did, and he pulled her up.

He looked at her in the eyes and asked, "So, can I call you my girlfriend, now?"

"Are you really Peter Crawford?" She asked him jokingly, a little surprised to see him look that manly.

She had seen him act like an idiot. She had seen him brag publicly. She had seen him pout. She had seen him being serious. Yesterday, for the first time, she had seen the strongly insecure side of him. But today was the first time she saw that look on his face.

"Believe me, I don't even recognize myself. I guess I just want to become a man worthy of you," he told her, putting his hand on her cheek. "I don't want to be that insecure boy that didn't dare to reveal his feelings because he thought he wasn't good enough. I don't want you to regret your choice."

She smiled and put her hand on his hand that was still on her cheek, "I'll never regret it."

How could she? Every time she discovered something new about him, it only made her love him more.

He smiled back at her, and said, "So? You never answered my question."

It was her time to show him something new. He'd overcome his insecurity, and she decided to overcome her shyness.

She therefore surprised herself as she put her right hand behind his head, and pulled him into a slight kiss. She then smiled confidently at him, "Here's my answer."

He stared at her for a few seconds, shocked by what she did. He then smirked, "I'm not sure I understood it. I'm not really smart you see. Can you be more specific, please?" He leaned in again.

She chuckled and gently pushed him away, feeling shy again, "Idiot."

He went back to his usual self and began pouting, "You're such a tease. I didn't know you were like that."

"And you're a bit of a pervert. But I kind of knew you were like that," she joked.

"Since when wanting to kiss my girlfriend is being a pervert?" He retorted.

"Since I said it," she grinned.

"Fine, then I'll go back to sleep," he declared as he went back to the armchair he was taking a nap on before. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

She chuckled, "Good nap, then."

She laughed when she heard him grunt, obviously disappointed she didn't take the bait.

That's when she realized she didn't feel weird anymore. She felt comfortable again. And she felt happy.

xxxxx

Rose, Albus and Scorpius had been studying for over an hour now, and Albus was starting to reach saturation point. He leaned back on his chair, stretched out and yawned. He looked at Rose sitting across him; she was deep into her studies. He then looked at Scorpius who was sitting next to him; he seemed to have also given up and was resting his head on the table.

Albus then had an idea, he quietly took his wand out, but before he could do anything, he heard his friend say, "Don't you dare, Potter."

Rose who hadn't paid attention to her surroundings at all finally looked at them after hearing Scorpius talk, and at the sight of her cousin's disappointed face, she chuckled.

Albus put his wand back into his robes, and said, "I'm bored."

"We all are," Scorpius remarked.

"I'm not," Rose argued.

"How about we call it a day?" He asked them.

"But I wanted to read at least two more chapters," Rose said.

"Then, stay here. I'm leaving. I've done enough for today," Albus informed her as he was standing up. "How about you, Malfoy?"

"Sorry mate, but I'm also staying. I was just taking a break, but I have to finish this."

"Fine, I'll go alone then. Have fun you two," he said while taking his stuff and finally go out of the library.

Even if he'd said that, Scorpius didn't want to continue his work at all. It was just one of those moments where he felt lazy. So, he crossed his arms and rested his head on the table, but instead of closing his eyes, he was now watching Rose, waiting for a reaction from her.

It took about ten seconds for him to get what he wanted. She sighed and finally looked at him, "What are you doing? It you didn't want to work, you should have followed Albus."

"I'm still taking a break, I'll work later. You should take one too, by the way. It's not good to stay focused on one thing for too long."

"I'm fine, thank you," she was back to reading her book.

He sighed as he straightened up on his chair, his hands behind his head in a laid-back manner, "What a bore."

She put the book on the table, apparently losing her calm a bit, but she still kept her voice steady, "Like I said before, a library isn't for having fun."

"Well, yes. But it doesn't have to be unpleasant, either," he argued.

She let out a long sigh, closed her book, giving in, "Fine, I'll take a break. Only to make you stop bothering me, I couldn't concentrate anyway."

He smirked proudly, "You're easier to convince than I thought you'd be."

"You didn't give me much of a choice," she told him.

"You're talking like if that was a punishment. It's just a break."

"You forgot one thing, you are here," she retorted. But Scorpius was surprised of the lack of animosity in her sentence, it sounded like a simple joke.

He smirked, "I don't understand, that should be considered as a bonus."

She raised her eyebrow, amused, "Have you forgotten we're not friends?"

"Of course not, we're just partners," he replied with a smile.

"Forced partners," she pointed out.

"Come on, I'm sure working with me wasn't that terrible," he insisted.

"It was… bearable," she admitted, looking away from him.

He shook his head, amused, "You sure are stubborn."

"Yeah, I get that a lot these days," she told him.

Then, two girls who'd apparently just entered the library passed by them, whispering and glancing at them. Well, whispering was a big word since they could hear them just fine.

"See, I told you they really were together," the first said.

"I can't believe she really used that other guy, I'm so disappointed," the other replied.

Scorpius felt the urge to put these two twits to their place, but didn't. He knew it'd only worsen the situation. He looked at Rose, who seemed to be fairly pissed.

She rolled her eyes, and replied loudly – but not too loudly since you know, they were in a library and she respected that –, "Someone who's disappointed by someone they never even talked to is quite laughable to be honest, because that means one rumour merely shattered the previous rumours they'd heard and blindly believed."

Scorpius smirked when he saw the two girls halt and gasp, obviously taken aback by her responding, and they didn't know what to say.

The first took the other by the arm and said, "Let's go."

Scorpius was actually also a little surprised by her reaction, he would've expected her to ignore them. But then again, he was the first one to know Rose Weasley wasn't one to let people walk all over her.

"They'd better find something new to talk about by tomorrow, because I'm reaching my limit," she muttered angrily.

"Don't worry, compared to this morning, there are already far less people believing or even talking about that nonsensical rumour."

"Right, anyone with half a brain should be able to tell it's totally rubbish with just a look at us."

"Exactly," he smirked, "And if people still believe it, then you just won't be Miss Perfect anymore, no big deal."

She rolled her eyes at him, "I never was."

"What you are and what people think you are are two completely different things, you know."

"Obviously," she pointed out, referring to the rumour. She then looked at the clock on the wall, "Ok, my break's over." She opened her book again and continued reading it.

Scorpius smiled one last time before also going back to his work.

xxxxx

It was now Friday. Thankfully, the rest of the week had been a lot calmer than the beginning. Everyone had already forgotten about Valentine's Day, and the rumours about Rose and Scorpius in the process. Everything was back to normal.

Well, besides the fact that Lena and Peter were officially a couple, and that Rose realized she didn't despise Malfoy as much as she thought.

"It's official, we're ready," Malfoy told her with a smirk.

"We better be, we have to do our presentation in about twenty minutes," Rose pointed out humorously. They both had a free hour before their Potions class and used it to rehearse their presentation one last time.

"Don't worry, with the two of us together, we're sure to have a good grade." They were the two top students of their year after all.

"Who knew we'd make a good team, huh?" She joked.

"Well, at first it did seem unlikely. But since you stopped being stubborn it went well," he smirked.

"Right, since I was the only one at fault," she rolled her eyes, smiling.

"Pretty much, yes," he teased her.

"Prick."

"You do love that word, don't you partner?"

"Not especially. It just often comes out of my mouth when I'm around you," she retorted jokingly. "Also, I won't be your partner anymore by the next hour, you should stop calling me like that."

"What should I call you, then? Miss Perfect?" He smirked, teasing her.

She crossed her arms and gave him a look, "Do that on daily basis and I'll really hex you."

He started to walk closer to her, his smirk still on his face, "Then, should I call you by your name?"

She shrugged, "You did it before, and I'm also calling you by your last name."

He stopped right in front of her, "I didn't mean your last name, Rose."

Her eyes widened a little. It was the first time he'd said it like that. He'd always call her Weasley, or Rose Weasley, or whatever nickname he'd give her. The only time she remembered he'd called her like that was when he called her out for help when Albus was about to fall from that cliff.

But hearing him say it like that now felt weird. She didn't know why, but she felt a little flustered.

She looked away, "Well, I don't see the problem. It is my name, after all." Why was he so close, anyway?

He smiled, "Right." He then backed a little away, turned around and started to head towards the door, "Let's go now or we'll be late."

She merely followed him. She's decided not to overthink, or even think at all, when it came to him. Because if she began to think a little too much, she'd do something stupid like accept a date on Valentine's Day resulting to strange rumours spreading about her.

xxxxx

The Potions class was finally finished, and everyone came out of the classroom.

"Weekend!" Peter exclaimed happily.

"The weather's nice, how about we go outside?" Lena suggested with a smile. It was finally getting warm.

Everyone agreed and they headed towards the lake. They all sat on the grass.

"I'm glad we were the first to do the presentation, that's one thing done already," Rose declared while enjoying the slight breeze on her face.

"You're the only one happy. You did too great for a first presentation," Peter complained.

"Well, sorry to be too smart and effective," Malfoy remarked arrogantly.

"It only gives you a reason to actually work hard for once, Peter," Rose teased him.

"Thank you, not," he pouted.

Lena shook her head at Peter, "You'll never change."

He then grinned at her, "And yet, you still like me as I am."

They'd become less shy around each other over the past few days.

Lena had a serious expression on her face as she said, "Who knows, I might ditch you for a future Healer or something."

"Only, you aren't that shallow," he retorted with a smile.

She dropped the serious face, and smiled too, "Right. Lucky you."

"Don't get too confident Peter, though. You've got to impress her from time to time you know," Albus remarked.

"That's exactly why I keep a low level, so it's not hard to improve it," Peter grinned, but this earned him a hit on the arm from Lena.

"I might have misjudged you, Crawford. You actually have some brain," Damon commented.

"Don't encourage him," Lena rebuked.

"Men," Sicilia sighed, shaking slightly her head. "And you're surprised I don't do dating."

"You're just too difficult, Sissy. I've never seen you show any interest towards anyone," Scorpius told her.

"That's because that girl doesn't show emotion at all," Damon pointed out.

"I'm not a sociopath, either," Sicilia said with a neutral voice.

"I only said you didn't really show emotions. I've never seen you losing your calm or anything."

"Why should I? It's never helps, and it requires too much energy for nothing."

"Because you should let it out sometimes, it feels good," Damon insisted.

"Don't worry about me, I'm already feeling good."

"Well, Sicilia's been like that since little. That's just how she is," Scorpius shrugged. But he also knew she could cry or yell when she needed to, only it was very rare. "That's what I like about her, actually. She isn't uselessly and overly loud like the other girls."

Rose ignored the slight pang in her chest, and raised her eyebrow, "So thoughtful." She then asked Sicilia, "I don't know how you managed to put up with him since little."

"Precisely because I know him since little," Sicilia smirked. "I know exactly how to deal with him."

"She won't share, though," Damon pouted a little.

Albus chuckled, "If she has the key to control Scorpius Malfoy, I understand why she'd keep it to herself."

"Hey, nobody controls me," Scorpius retorted.

"He's right. Even I can't make him do something he doesn't like," Sicilia said.

"Hello everyone!" They then heard Suzy call as she was heading towards them.

They all greeted her back and she sat next to Albus.

"How was your class?" Albus asked her with a smile.

She let out a long sigh, "Don't mention it. Professor Hobbes was in a dreadful mood, and you know how scary he can get when he wants." She then lied down, her head resting on Albus' legs. She closed her eyes and smiled, "But now I'm fine."

Albus smiled dearly while looking at her and began to stroke her hair.

Rose couldn't take their cutesiness anymore, so her eyes moved towards Lena and Peter who were sitting next to them. Lena was teasing Peter about what kind of embarrassing clothes they should make him wear if he lost the bet, and Peter was just yelling that he wouldn't lose it, so she didn't need to think about it.

It seemed like their usual bickering, but their expressions had changed, they were smiling a lot more than before. Rose guessed that's what love did.

She finally realized half of their group were in couple, and it kind of reminded her she wasn't. Not that she was particularly bothered by that fact, but seeing them like that made her feel a little bit lonely, you know. She was fine on her own, but having someone who smiles like that when they look at you, or that can lend their legs for your head to rest seemed nice.

"Are you jealous?" She heard someone whisper quietly next to her.

She frowned at Malfoy, "What are you talking about?"

Now that she was thinking about it, how the hell did they end up sitting next to each other?

"You were making a weird face while looking at them," he replied, pointing his chin at Lena and Peter. He leaned back a bit and let out casually, "Well, it must be difficult for you I guess."

"Well, not difficult. I was just thinking they looked good together." And that she wanted to be able to be like that, too. But why would she tell _him_ that?

"I have to say I was quite surprised when I heard. I thought Crawford was into someone else."

"Ah, you mean Petunia? Even I thought they were going out, and Lena was really down because of that, but turns out they're just friends and he was helping her with Ludovic," she then frowned, remembering seeing the couple together when she was on her date with Loann, "I discovered that in a disturbing way, too." She then smiled while watching her friends' happy faces, "I'm really glad it worked out for them, though."

When she turned her head to look at Malfoy, he had an unusual expression on his face. He was smiling a little, in a somewhat amused way, but it was different from the one he'd have while teasing her.

"What?" She asked him, feeling a bit uneasy.

He looked in front of him, "I guess it really is not difficult for you."

She glared at him, "I'm not that lonely, I can be on my own just fine."

"You better be, because no one would be crazy enough to ask you out for some time now," he smirked teasingly at her.

"And whose fault is that?" She retorted.

"Yours. You can't reasonably blame me for your lack of love life," he pointed out.

Well, she actually could. Since she had accepted a date because of him, which resulted to her abruptly leaving Loann, that led to her going to the library and meeting Malfoy, and she ended up being the centre of a rumour saying she was a cheating and manipulating girl. Everything happened because of him. But she couldn't possibly tell him that.

She sighed, disappointed to have to give him this point, "Right."

A little away from them, Damon was smiling slightly, "Don't you think those two are getting along pretty well these days?"

"They are. Rose looks less on her defensive," Sicilia replied simply.

Damon looked at Sicilia and grinned, "Want to bet on when something will happen between them?"

"No," she replied blankly with a bored look on her face.

Damon pouted, "You're no fun."

"I know you, if you bet on something like that, you'd meddle in their business so that you could win the bet, and they don't need that," she explained.

"Of course n–" He was about to deny it but didn't finish his sentence as he realized he really might do that. He scratched the back of his head and smiled guiltily, "Ok, it wouldn't be impossible."

Sicilia shook her head at him, "You're such a child."

"Then, quite a handsome one," he couldn't help but say with a smirk.

"Nope, just a child," she retorted, deadpan.

He made a face, "You're really heartless."

"You're arrogant enough already, don't count on me to boast your ego."

"It's not arrogance, it's objective self-awareness," he argued.

"Hey, it's getting cold, how abut we head back now?" They heard Lena exclaim.

Everyone agreed and they walked back inside the castle.

xxxxx

Scorpius was sitting on the couch next to Sicilia in their common room, while Damon was a few meters away, busy harbouring his seductive smirk around several girls, who totally fell for the trick.

"I thought Damon had stopped this habit of his," Scorpius remarked. It used to be like his daily hobby to go flirt with girls just for sport, but lately he didn't seem to do it anymore. That didn't mean girls had stopped coming to talk to him, though.

"Well, I guess he needs to boast up his ego a little. It's probably the first time he wasn't able to get a girl," Sicilia simply replied.

"Do you think he's really ok?" Scorpius then asked her. Damon looked fine, but that didn't mean he was. And despite the fact he was his best friend, he knew he couldn't be as insightful as Sicilia. That girl had a gift for that.

She smiled, "I'm a little surprised myself, but he really is. Or at least, he's not not fine."

Scorpius nodded slowly, glad to hear that.

Then, Sicilia cast a sideways look at him, and said, "By the way, you seem more fine than usual, did something happen?"

See, a gift. He should be used to that, and yet he still got surprised by her sense of observation from time to time. He had no idea how she'd caught up on that, he totally acted like usual. Or at least, he thought he did.

"Something like that," he answered vaguely with a little smile. "Today was a good day in general, I guess."

Sicilia merely smiled at him, nodded, and went back to what she was initially doing.

It was true. It seemed like Rose wasn't as assertive as before, and he was able to see her smile plenty of times. He called her by her name, and he'd liked the look on her face when he did. And he found out that she didn't have any feelings for that Crawford. Not that he felt threatened by him, but it kind of pissed him off seeing them being so close. He may have even felt a bit relieved when he heard the bloke was going out with Lena.

When thinking about it again, before he had had the feeling that Rose was jealous of that Petunia girl, but she might have just been angry because she was rooting for her best friend. He was usually good at deductions, and yet he'd never considered that possibility.

That's how he realized he was so crazy about her that it even altered his judgment. And surprisingly, he didn't even mind.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

"It's the last week of February, do you know what that means?" Peter asked enthusiastically his fellow Gryffindor friends.

"That next week, we'll be in March?" Albus joked.

"Exactly!" Peter surprisingly grinned while pointing his finger at his best friend. "Which means our bet will be over!"

"Ah, you're right," Albus realized. "It's not fun, probably nobody will have to accept a dare."

"It still can happen, you shouldn't release the tension yet," Lena remarked.

"It's easy for you, you're already safe," Peter complained.

"Right. Sorry for admitting my feelings for you and going out with you. I should've shut up and lose the bet so that you could laugh a little," she joked.

"When you put it like that… I'm glad you're safe, then," he smiled brightly at her.

"Albus is pretty safe, too. He has worked consistently since the beginning of the term," Rose spoke up.

Albus looked proud, "I just needed some motivation, I guess."

"Peter sure is not safe, he might blow up something any time," Lena teased.

"Don't say that!" He exclaimed, "You'll jinx it."

"I hope so," she smirked.

"Shouldn't you be on your boyfriend's side?" He cried theatrically, feeling betrayed.

"Of course I'm on your side. If you lose, I'll cheer you up," she smiled.

He stopped pouting, "I'll forgive you, then."

"Lena's totally controlling him, isn't she?" Albus whispered into Rose's ear.

"She's got him wrapped around her finger," Rose answered in the same manner.

"What about Rose, then?" Peter suddenly realized. "Sometimes I feel like she should've lost the bet at least a dozen times."

"Hey, I always did my best, only getting along with my archenemy wasn't quite the easy task," she argued. Ok, maybe not always, or even at all, for that matter. She basically had totally forgotten about the bet and acted like the hell she wanted around him. "Plus, I had to put up with him as my Potions partner."

"She has a point. And they're getting along these days, so it means it worked," Albus said.

"They're still arguing a lot," Peter argued.

"Well, yes, but how do I put it… The vibe changed. It's in a less hateful and friendlier way now," Lena replied.

"I wouldn't go as far as using any word that has 'friend' in it, though," Rose commented.

Lena sighed, "Such a prideful girl."

But Rose had to admit Lena wasn't really wrong. Their arguments didn't really change, he'd still taunt her every time he could, and she'd still call him names and glare at him, but something was different. But her tone had changed.

Probably because she realized, maybe she didn't hate him anymore.

xxxxx

Rose was in the library alone and was currently searching for a book. Albus was with Suzy and said he'd come tomorrow instead. And Lena and Peter didn't feel like going, either.

She sighed. To be honest, she felt a little lonely since all three of them were in a relationship. She even found herself relieved when they'd hang out with other people because she'd feel less like a third wheel. Of course, she was really happy for them, but she couldn't help feeling like that from time to time. It had been more than a year since she last had a boyfriend, after all.

"Rose."

She jumped with surprise as he whispered that into her ear. She turned around, and saw a smirking Malfoy standing right next to her.

"What were you thinking about to not even hear me coming?" He asked her.

She punched his arm hard and whispered angrily, "You're such a prick. Why would you go and scare me like that?" And whispering her name like that, too.

He shrugged, "I couldn't let the chance to trick you slip." He then frowned and held his arm, "That actually hurt a little, though. You're quite strong for a girl."

She crossed her arms, "Why are you surprised? I'm the Keeper of my team, of course I'd be stronger than the average girl."

"Well, yes, but I often forget that since you don't look like that at all."

"What, do I look weak?" She retorted with a glare.

He chuckled, "Weak is never the thing that comes to my mind when it comes to you. But you're pretty thin so your strength isn't really visible."

She frowned at him. Was that a sort of compliment? Well, whatever.

"Anyway, what are you doing here?" She asked him, her arms still crossed.

"Probably the same thing as you, studying. So, what were you thinking about?"

"Why do you want to know?" She retorted.

He leaned in a little and replied with his usual smirk, "Can't I be a little curious about you?"

Rose ignored the strange feeling she felt when looking into his eyes and sighed heavily, looking away, "Nothing special, really. I was just thinking."

He straightened up, "So, it's something you're embarrassed about." He then smirked again, "Judging by the face you're making, I was right. But fine, I won't ask any further."

"As if I would've told you if you did anyway," she muttered.

"I'm fully aware of that, we're not in that kind of relationship after all," he said knowingly.

Why was she bothered by what he'd just said? Or maybe it was the tone he used, it felt somewhat distant. But it shouldn't bother her, it's not like they were close or anything.

He leaned in again so that his face would be at the same level as hers, "By the way, what kind of relationship do we have?"

Her eyes widened, taken aback by his sudden question, and by the proximity of his face. She looked away, "What kind of question is this?"

"I was just curious. I mean, you don't seem to treat me like an enemy anymore, but you can't say we're friends either. So, what do you think?"

She looked at him, trying not to look flustered, "We're nothing."

He straightened up and made a face showing he wasn't satisfied with this answer, "You hurt me. We should be at least more than acquaintances."

She sighed, "I don't know, then. You tell me."

He seemed to think about it, "I can't find the right word, perhaps there is none."

"I don't even know why you want to define it," she retorted. "It's useless."

"Well, I just wanted to know where I stand in your mind," he said, surprising her again.

"In my mind, you're a prick that I happen to hang out with because we have friends in common," she told him, keeping a straight face. "Does it help you?" She asked with a hint of sarcasm.

He smiled, apparently satisfied, "A little. Even though I'd figured out that much already."

She glared at him with a raised eyebrow, "Why did you even ask then?"

"To confirm it," he simply replied.

"Now if you're finished, I'd like to go back to my seat," she told him as she began to walk away.

"Without a book?" He asked her teasingly.

She stopped, went back to pick the book she wanted, took it and went back to her seat before he could say anything else. Merlin he was unbelievable.

She grunted quietly and began to read the book. A few minutes later, she heard someone move the chair next to her.

She let out a heavy sigh, "What are you doing now?" He'd better not distract her from her work again.

"All the tables are taken, so if I have to sit near someone, it might as well be you," he explained.

She looked around and noticed he was indeed saying the truth. "Since when do we prefer to sit next to each other?"

"Since we were partners and became used to it?"

She thought about it, and finally tilted her head, agreeing. She then went back to reading her book.

"By the way, aren't you a bit curious?" He suddenly asked her.

She sighed, knowing he'd distract her again, but still asked, "Curious about what, Malfoy?"

"What I asked you, why didn't you ask me back?" He clarified.

"Because I'm not interested in your opinion about me," she replied simply. But to be honest, she felt that not knowing was just easier.

"I see," he told her quietly, then leaned back on his chair, his hands behind his head, "But I'll tell you anyway. To me…" He started seriously, and then smirked, "You're someone whose company is actually really fun."

Rose quietly let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding, and focused again on her book, "Well, if you sat next to me to have fun, then you should leave. I believe I've already told you we don't go to a library to have fun."

"You're such a bookworm," he chuckled before opening the book he'd picked a few minutes ago and started to study as well.

"And you're such a nuisance," she retorted, her eyes still on her book. She ignored the little smile that appeared on his face.

xxxxx

"Remember, you need exactly seven drops of liquid peppermint, if you put one less, the potion won't work, and if you put one more, well let's say that if you lost the count, you'd better stop and have the potion not work," Professor Hazebrown explained while walking slowly between the students' tables.

"Have you ever wondered why Professor Hazebrown became a teacher? I mean, she could still be a model, it's not like she's even old or anything," Timmy Bolton, Peter's Potions partner for this term, asked the latter.

"1, 2, 3…" Peter didn't answer and was focusing on counting the liquid pepermint's drops instead.

"Hey, you could at least answer," Timmy rebuked.

"Shh, I'm counting. 5, 6…" Because of his friends' teasing, he was even more anxious than usual, firmly believing they'd jinxed it.

Timmy hit Peter's arm, "Come on, you can count up to 7 and answer a question, can't you?"

Peter moved his arm away from the cauldron and finally looked at his partner, "Fine, since you can't wait five bloody seconds, I'll answer you. She became a teacher because she always wanted to be one, but then she was offered a modelling job and accepted it, but she still studied to become a teacher in the meantime. So, she's become one because she can do both and it'd always been her dream."

Timmy stared at Peter, agape. He blinked two times and told him, "Wow, you sure know a lot about her."

Peter shrugged, "My big sister's a big fan of hers, especially because, I quote," he then took a girly voice, "She is such the perfect example of being both smart and beautiful," he then spoke with his normal voice again, "and always tells me everything about Professor Hazebrown without me asking. Several times."

Timmy nodded slowly, "I see."

Peter let out a sigh, "Now, please let me put the last drop without even breathing, I do not want to put one more by mistake and…" He stopped talking since he slightly pinched the pipette so that one drop would fall in the cauldron, and suddenly, the liquid in the cauldron went up with the strength of a geyser's jet, and broke through the classroom's roof. Once all the liquid was out of the cauldron, and around ten meters high, it dispersed in the room above them as if it had exploded.

Peter and Timmy – and everyone else in the class – were frozen, just staring at the big hole that had the exact same diameter as their cauldrons that was just made in the classroom's roof.

Professor Hazebrown then clapped her hands together to make everyone go back on Earth, and laughed awkwardly, "Well, now you see what happens when you put one more drop." She then looked at Peter and Timmy with a smile, but the students could see if was just to hide her rage, and told them with clenched teeth, "Even though I told you it was better to put less drops if you weren't sure…"

"But Professor, I am certain I put exactly 7 drops," Peter argued. He'd been more careful as ever.

"Then HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT ENORMOUS HOLE IN OUR ROOF?" She finally lost it and yelled while pointing angrily at the said hole. She then realized she'd snapped, took a deep breath, massaged her temps and said with a much calmer voice, "What I'm saying it that, obviously, you put one more. At least no one was hurt. But that will be 20 points from Gryffindor because you, Mr. Crawford, were the one holding the pipette, and 20 points from Slytherin since Mr. Bolton didn't assist his partner correctly and even distracted him."

"Crawfooord," they heard Filch grunt from above. His angry old face could be seen through the big hole.

"Oh, hello, Argus. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but don't worry, these two boys will help you clean that tremendous boys," Professor Hazebrown informed him with a kind smile, and Flinch strangely agreed without balking. She then looked at Peter and Timmy, and asked nicely, "Right?"

The two of them merely nodded, gulping.

"A real femme fatale," Timmy whispered into Peter's ear. The latter just nodded slightly.

Filch grunted one more time, but more quietly, and went away from the hole. The students still could hear him sulk, though.

Professor Hazebrown then sighed and quickly smiled again, "It can't be helped, then. Let's just move on to this week's presentation."

xxxxx

"Seriously, this was by far the most epic explosion you ever provoked in class," Albus laughed at his best friend once the Potions class was over.

"But I would've never imagined that Professor Hazebrown had such a scary side," Damon shuddered.

"Right, she's always so easy-going and nice," Lena added.

"Well, we already knew she wasn't that easy to deal with as it seemed when she wouldn't even budge when everyone was asking to switch partners," Rose pointed out.

"And to think that our Peter was the one who'd be able to bring out that part of her…" Lena smirked, teasing him.

"It's all because of you three!" He exclaimed, "You've totally jinxed it. And to think there was only one week left… I think I'm going to cry."

"Don't worry, we won't be too hard on you, since you've offered us such a great performance," Albus teased him again.

"But seriously, Crawford, you're a public danger. That thing was no joke. I mean, it broke through a roof, imagine if it had hit one's face," Scorpius said. "How you managed to still be able to attend this class after your OWLs, I never understood it."

Peter glared at Scorpius, "Shut up, Malfoy."

"Right, what if it had hit you?" Lena realized, worried.

Peter looked blasé, "You're worried about that only now?"

She shrugged, "When I saw it, I immediately noticed you were fine, so I didn't think any further."

Peter grinned, "So, you did worry about me."

Lena shook her head, smiling, "Of course, idiot."

"Anyway, you know what that means right?" Rose smiled mischievously at Peter.

"That she likes me?" He asked her, not really following her.

She stared at him, deadpan, "I wasn't talking about that, but about the incident you caused."

His eyes widened, remembering why he was feeling so miserable, "Right, I would've rather forgotten about it, to be honest."

"What are you talking about?" Damon asked them, curious.

"Peter made a bet saying he wouldn't blow anything up in class until the end of February. He obviously lost the bet and will have to walk around Hogsmeade in embarrassing clothes during a whole day," Albus explained.

Damon burst out laughing, "Oh, I'll definitely come to see the spectacle."

"Me too," Scorpius smirked.

Peter glared at them, "I'm not your source of entertainment."

"You shouldn't have made that bet in the first place," Scorpius told him, "It was obviously out of your reach."

"Hey, I would've won if only Timmy hadn't pushed me back then," Peter retorted. "I'm sure that's when a drop fell without me noticing."

"I'm surprised you were serious about the potion, though. You could've just put less drops willingly so that you'd be sure it wouldn't explode or something," Damon remarked.

"I've messed up too many times in that class already, I couldn't afford to fail a potion willingly," he replied.

"Instead, you failed it unwillingly," Damon smirked.

"Shut up," Peter glared at him.

"Anyway, what are we going to make you wear?" Albus asked teasingly.

"I have a few ideas, but let's not tell him. He'll find that out next Saturday," Rose smiled mischievously.

"Don't worry, I won't accept the worst ideas," Lena assured her boyfriend. "But I can't block everything, it still has to be interesting."

Peter looked like he was about to cry, "I have no one on my side."

"If that can make you feel better, I won't take part in this and won't laugh at you," Sicilia told him neutrally.

Peter's mood suddenly went up and he grinned at Sicilia, "Thank you, you're actually really kind. To be honest, I never understood why you're friends with those two."

Sicilia shrugged, "I guess they're not too bad."

Scorpius smirked and put his arm around Sicilia's shoulders, "In Sicilia's language, that basically means we're awesome, in case you wondered."

"Though it's already a widely known fact," Damon pointed out arrogantly.

Lena shook her head at them, "At least we can totally understand why _those two_ are friends."

Rose and Albus nodded knowingly.

xxxxx

"Please let today be over quickly," Peter pleaded as he was rolling around in Hogsmeade the next Saturday afternoon.

Yes, rolling, since he actually was in a giant cage on wheels that was magically dragged around. He also had a ridiculous owl costume on.

"You're not talking correctly," Albus warned him.

Peter gave him a look, "Hoo, hoo, sorry, hoo." He had to add 'hoos' every time he'd talk, and he had to reply every time someone would talk to him.

"You should consider yourself lucky, I vetoed the dressed as a woman idea," Lena pointed out.

"Now that I'm seeing him like that, I think this is a far much better idea anyway," Rose laughed, "And it's original, too."

"Hoo, hoo, please just go and dooh hoo some shopping already," Peter told them. He was already embarrassed enough like that, he didn't need to have his girlfriend watching and teasing him during the whole afternoon.

He then heard someone loudly burst out laughing. It was Damon Stones, and next to him was standing Scorpius Malfoy who was smirking, obviously enjoying seeing Peter suffering.

"That totally surpassed my expectations," Stones exclaimed, still laughing.

"Shut up, you twit!" Peter angrily shouted.

"Peter," Albus warned again.

Peter silently pleaded his best friend not to make him do that in front of those guys.

"Sorry, but it was in our deal," Albus only told him.

"What's going on, Crawford? Too embarrassed to speak?" Malfoy taunted.

"Whooh's embarrassed? Hoo, hoo," He tried to keep his head high as he answered him.

Malfoy and Stones burst out laughing again.

"Merlin, this is too good," Stones said between two laughs.

Lena and Rose exchanged looks, seeing how Peter was about to snap, and silently came to an agreement.

They both walked towards the two Slytherins, Lena taking Damon by the arm and Rose pushing Scorpius to drag them away.

"Come on, how about we go at the Three Broomsticks Inn? I'm thirsty," Lena exclaimed.

"We'll leave Peter to you, Al'," Rose called out as they were already walking away.

"Don't worry, I'm on it," Albus shouted back. Once they were out of sight, he looked at Peter, "You should be thankful for that."

"Hoo, hoo, they're the one who should be thankful, if they'd stayed longer, they would've tasted my anger," he retorted, "Hoo, hoo."

"Right, right," Albus chuckled at his friend still trying to be serious while behaving like an owl.

xxxxx

"You're no fun, I wanted to tease him a little more," Damon complained as they entered the pub.

"That's exactly why we dragged you away," Lena pointed out while heading towards the bar, "Four butterbeers, please."

"Drag is a big word. I willingly followed you," Malfoy told her as they each took their beers and went to sit at a table of four.

"So prideful," Rose commented as she sat down.

Lena sat across her, Damon next to Lena, and Malfoy next to her. She didn't bother making a remark, being strangely used to sitting next to him now. But to think the four of them would go together here, Rose realized a lot had changed over the past few months.

"And Sicilia didn't come?" Lena suddenly asked.

"She's in Hogsmeade, but she had some errands to do, I think," Damon informed her.

"Alone?" Rose asked.

Damon nodded, "Probably."

"Now that I think about it, I rarely see her with anyone besides you two," Lena remarked. "She doesn't hang out with girls of your house at all?"

Malfoy shook his head, "She says they're either shallow or stupid, or both. And I mostly agree with her."

"Well, if they're your groupies, they are probably stupid," Rose needled him with a playful smirk.

"To be honest, Damon is more popular among them," Malfoy pointed out.

"That's probably because I actually reply to them when they talk to me," Damon said.

Lena and Rose sighed.

"Who would've thought we'd be friends with a womanizer and a prick like them?" Lena asked her best friend rhetorically.

"I don't know, but I'm definitely not friends with that arrogant prick," Rose tilted her head towards Malfoy.

Damon made a face, "Still saying that?"

Malfoy shrugged, "It's true, after all. We're not friends."

Damon shook his head and sighed, "Whatever you say, I'm done with trying to understand both of you."

"As for me, I stopped trying long ago," Lena told Damon.

"It's a fact that you're smarter than me," he said. And they began to talk about how stubborn their two friends were.

While the two said friends were watching them, deadpan.

"Have they forgotten we were right there?" Rose asked rhetorically.

"Leave them be, and let's talk while ignoring them too," Malfoy suggested with a smirk.

"Talk about what?"

"I don't know. The last book you've read, for example."

Rose gasped, remembering that she had something to do, "Ah right, that reminds me I should go to the bookstore." She needed to buy the book Loann lent to her, since she was feeling too guilty to keep it after rejecting him.

She quickly finished her beer and stood up, "I'm leaving first."

Surprisingly, Malfoy stood up too.

Damon and Lena finally stopped ignoring them, and blinked simultaneously, "You're leaving?"

"We're going to _Tomes and Scrolls_," Malfoy informed them.

Rose gave him a look, "Why are you coming too?"

"Well, I had to go there too, so as well go together."

She stared at him for a few seconds and finally sighed, "Fine, let's go then."

As he was watching them walk out of the pub, Damon shook his head, and said ironically, "Yep, they don't get along at all."

"I kind of agree with them, though," Lena remarked, "They're definitely not friends."

"You're right," he said knowingly. Those two were everything but friends.

xxxxx

As they were walking towards the bookstore, Rose could feel people looking strangely at her, and only her. She instinctively touched her cheeks in case she had something on it, but she felt nothing, and then heard Malfoy chuckle.

She stopped walking, frustrated, and gave him a look, "What's so funny? Do you know why they're all looking at me?"

He smirked and suddenly approached his right hand from her face, making her freeze for a second. She could feel his fingers land on her right cheek, and didn't know what to do. Then, she felt his thumb wipe something out on the top of her nose. He finally moved away his hand.

"I was wondering how much time it'll take for you to notice," he told her, "You drank your beer too carelessly before and had still some foam on your nose."

She snapped out of it and glared at him, hiding her embarrassment behind anger, "You could've told me sooner, you prick."

"Well, I am a prick," he smirked at her.

She grunted, "That, you are." And she started walking again.

They entered the bookstore, and she directly headed towards the range where she'd found the book the last time, Malfoy still on her toes.

"Why are you still following me? I thought you needed to buy a book, too."

"I do. It should be here," he told her, looked around and said, "Ah, here it is."

He picked one exemplar of the book she wanted.

She frowned, did he do that on purpose? But she never even mentioned the name of the book. "You like Illyanna Fortenberry's work?"

He nodded, "Yes, her style is pretty fluid, and you can see she does a lot of research before writing a book and is really passionate about it. Why?"

Rose blinked, she liked her because of the same reasons. She then snapped out of it and said, "I guess you do have some taste."

She also took an exemplar. At least this time there were enough copies.

He smirked, "What a coincidence."

They went and paid for their books. Once it was done, she went out of the bookstore. Rose remained silent.

"What's going on? Disappointed we have more things in common that you thought?" Malfoy smirked at her.

She gave him a look, "We just like the same author, which is a pretty popular one anyway, so–" She stopped as she missed the last step of the stairs, too busy glaring at Malfoy to notice.

He rapidly caught her arm to keep her from falling, "You do that a lot around me. I didn't picture as the clumsy type. Or is it that you like it when I catch you?" He smirked again.

She glared at him and moved away, "In your dreams."

He chuckled, "It's so easy to tease you."

She ignored him and starting walking again, "I'll go check on Albus and Peter. You do whatever your want." She had to get away before she couldn't ignore everything anymore.

He followed her, "Fine, I'll go too, then. I didn't stay long enough to appreciate the sight of a caged Crawford before. It brings back memories."

Couldn't he leave her alone already?

"Right, memories that earned us detention."

"That detention was totally worth it," he told her.

She frowned again, but kept silent. What did he mean by that? Not that she cared, though.

"Are you still wishing Albus and I never became friends?" He then asked her.

"Yes," she immediately answered. I would've saved her a lot of trouble and confusion.

"Right, it must be much simpler for you to hate me," he remarked knowingly.

"You can't imagine how much you're right," she told him.

"And yet, you can't go back to hating me anymore now, can you?" He smirked.

She didn't respond, not sure she could deny that fact.

He sighed, "I really have too much charm. If this goes on you'll probably even fall for me."

Her eyes widened briefly, but she just gave him a look, "Don't be too cocky. You're still a prick, and I will never have such feelings for you."

He suddenly stopped, stood in front of her, softly lifted her chin with his right hand, and looked at her in the eyes, "You're the one who's being too cocky right now, Rose."

She was too surprised to even move.

'_Stop saying my name like that, you prick_,' she thought, feeling her cheeks getting warmer.

He smirked again, letting go of her chin, "See, you're totally defenceless."

She glared at him, tired of his sick games, "Don't think you're right merely because I was taken aback for a second."

He smiled at her, and was the first one to start walking again, "I know, it wouldn't be fun that way, after all."

She stared at him, wondering what he was thinking again, before following him silently. She had to stop letting him fool her like that.

xxxxx

"Hoo, hello, hoo," Peter said as a group of people passed by. They looked at him strangely, and laughed. Just like the fifty other times he'd done that already.

He sighed heavily, sitting on the little bench in the cage, "I'm so tired of this, hoo, hoo." He also hated the fact speaking like that had become an automatism.

"Come on, one more hour and then we'll go back to Hogwarts," Albus told him happily.

"You have such a pretty costume, Peter," Suzy exclaimed as she was walking towards them. Surprisingly, Sicilia was with her.

She smiled once she was in front of her boyfriend and kissed him hello, "They left you alone with him?"

"Yes, they dragged Scorpius and Damon away before we could see blood," he told her jokingly.

"Wise decision," Sicilia remarked.

"How come you two are together, by the way?"

"We bumped into each other a few minutes ago," Suzy informed him.

"We're back," they heard Damon exclaimed joyfully. He was with Lena.

"Should I be worried that Rose and Malfoy aren't with you?" Albus asked them jokingly.

"Nooo, don't worry, they went to the bookstore together. What could possibly happen to them while buying books?" Damon replied light-heartedly.

"Right, they seemed fine when they left us," Lena added.

"Hoo, hoo, talk about the devil, hoo hoo," Peter said while pointing his wing in front of him.

Scorpius and Rose were walking towards them and halted next to Albus. Peter wondered if they'd met here at the same time willingly or not.

"Well, hello again," Scorpius smirked, while Rose was remaining silent.

Albus frowned at his cousin and looked at Scorpius, "Did you steal her tongue or something?"

"Can't I be silent for two minutes?" Rose retorted, finally snapping out of it. She was just caught up in her thoughts.

"Not around Malfoy," Albus pointed out.

"Well, I was tired of talking with him," she told him.

Malfoy moved in front of the big cage Peter was in and taunted him, "Hey Crawford, how's it going?"

Peter glared at him, "I'm great, hoo hoo."

Malfoy laughed, "Ok, that doesn't get old."

"Who's Hoo?" Damon asked Peter with a smirk.

"Hoo, hoo. Stop trying to be funny, Stones. Hoo, hoo," Peter immediately retorted, trying not to seem too bothered by them.

Damon smirked, "Right, you're already funny enough for all of us anyway."

"I understand why you had to drag them away earlier," Sicilia told Lena while Damon and Scorpius were still having fun taunting the poor boy.

Lena shook his head, "Those three are just like children."

Sicilia sighed, and walked towards her friends, taking each by the arm, "Let's go take a walk." And they were being dragged away again.

"But we just did that," Damon complained.

"Not with me," she told him.

"Well, his hoo's were getting annoying anyway," Scorpius said.

"Albus and Suzy, you can go take a walk, too. I'll take care of Peter," Lena informed them.

Albus smiled, "Thank you."

"Why are you saying 'I'? I'll stay, too," Rose remarked.

"Nope, I want some time alone with my boyfriend, you go with them," she suddenly pushed Rose towards the group of Slytherins that was now passing by them.

"But I don't want to–" Rose started to complain but Damon used his free arm to grab hers, successfully dragging her along, winking at Lena.

"Come on, let's hang out between singles and give the happy couple some space," he told her with a grin.

"What space? There literally are barriers between them," Rose argued, but seemed to have given in.

When Lena and Peter were finally on their own, Peter looked at her, "Why are you staying, it's embarrassing."

She smiled at him, "Because I'm not embarrassed of you."

He grinned and exclaimed, "Hoo, hoo, my girlfriend's the best, hoo, hoo."

She laughed, shaking her head, "Idiot."

xxxxx

"Sorry that you were dragged with us," Sicilia told Rose as they were wandering near the Shrieking Shack.

"You don't have to be, it's not your fault," Rose smiled. "And it's not that bad, you know."

"A few weeks ago, you wouldn't have said that," Sicilia pointed out.

Rose chuckled, "Probably not."

"What are you two doing? You're slow!" Damon called them from a few meters ahead.

"Don't expect me to run, just wait for us," Sicilia shouted back. And that's what the boys did.

"You're really lazy, Sissy," Malfoy remarked.

Sicilia shrugged, "Well, I can be as long as you two wait for me."

Malfoy slightly ruffled her hair, "Of course, we would never leave you behind."

Damon grinned and put his arm around Sicilia's shoulders, "He's right. It'd be really bad if you became our enemy after all."

She hit him in the stomach with a threatening smile, "What are you implying exactly?"

"That you're a really good friend?" He said with an awkward smile.

She crossed her arms, "I prefer that."

Rose was watching the scene silently. So Malfoy could be nice like that to a girl, too. And Sicilia could also joke around like that.

Malfoy suddenly turned his head and looked at Rose, "Talking about lazy, what are you still lagging behind for, Rose?"

Rose's eyes widened slightly, but she ignored the warm feeling that went through her body, and just gave him a look, "I'm not lagging behind, I'm walking as fast as you."

Sicilia and Damon stopped bickering and switched their attention towards the Gryffindor girl, too.

Damon went and gently pushed Rose by the shoulders towards his two friends, "Don't stay alone like that, we won't bite. You can even shout at Scorpius, it's not because he's our friend that we don't understand you."

Rose chuckled and rolled her eyes at him, "I'm not scared that easily, don't worry."

It was the first time she'd been alone with the three Slytherins, and it felt unreal when she thought about it, but she had to admit it really wasn't that bad.

xxxxx

Ok, on second thoughts, this was bad. After spending the whole afternoon with him, Rose was starting to think again. Thinking about how warm his fingers felt on her cheek. Thinking about his eyes looking right into hers. Thinking about the slight pang in her chest she had felt when she saw him genuinely smiling while ruffling Sicilia's hair. Thinking about how he still didn't forget about her. Thinking about how he'd call her by her first name.

"_If this goes on, you'll probably even fall for me."_

No. No. No.

This couldn't be happening. Definitely not.

She thought she was doing a good job at ignoring all these things and not put too much thought into it. But after today's afternoon, she'd reached saturation and couldn't ignore everything anymore.

She'd thought that if she stopped being on her defensive around him, she could relax and stop thinking too much. But she was so wrong. It only gave him more chances to mess with her head. She should just avoid him. She should stop spending time around him. Stop letting him go close to her. Stop hearing him say strange things.

She needed to stop being fooled by him. But if she wants to be able to avoid him properly, she should make him not want to talk to her, either.

xxxxx

Since they'd come back from Hogsmeade, Scorpius noticed that Rose was back to avoiding him. But this time, it was different. She wasn't running away every time he'd be around. She would stay there, but just not acknowledge his presence. She wouldn't answer back to his teasing. She wouldn't even look at him. Her eyes had always been alive, they'd always reflected her anger, her disdain, her rage, her happiness, her shyness. But now, they'd become expressionless. They'd become empty.

He'd wondered what happened, why she was like that. He then found out she was acting normal when she wasn't around him. Albus even asked him what he'd done to make her so mad she didn't even bother getting angry at him anymore.

He was starting to feel he'd gone too far with his teasing her. He scared her away.

He was stupid. Sure, he wanted to get a reaction out of her, and was tired of hiding his feelings and had therefore decided to be more forward. But he should've known she'd freak out because of those words. Because those were the same words that made her avoid him last time.

He couldn't take it anymore. He had to talk to her. He had to make her stop acting like that. Because at that rate, he'd never be able to make her his. And he'd already fallen too deep to let that happen.

So, when he saw her walking on her own, he took the chance. He knew there was no way she hadn't seen him walk towards her, and yet, she didn't show any reaction at all. She didn't move her head, she didn't slow down or speed up, and her eyes were still empty. Merlin, that pissed him off.

She was about to pass by him as if they were total strangers, but he grabbed her arm, making her stop.

She looked at him, expressionless, and asked with a low voice, "What's going on?"

He couldn't take it anymore. She was so annoying. He looked around, and since he didn't see anyone, he dragged her into the room they were standing next to. He knew it would be empty and open since there was nothing valuable in it. He closed the door angrily, staying in front of it so she wouldn't try to run.

She just sighed, "What are you doing, Malfoy?" She sounded so distant, so emotionless. He hated that emptiness.

"I'm trying to have a talk with you," he told her.

"And why did you have to drag me into an empty room to do that? Strange rumours will start again at this rate," she replied in a toneless voice.

"Because I didn't want you to run away."

She sat on the table she was standing next to, "Fine, talk then."

He frowned, "Why are you like that?"

"Like what?"

He moved closer, "Like this. Why are you shutting down your emotions around me?"

"I guess I just became tired of raising my voice at you for every little thing," she told him.

"It's more than that. You don't get angry, but you don't smile, either. You don't do anything at all anymore. Why are you being like this so suddenly?"

She looked at him straight in the eyes, and declared with a calm voice, "Because I still hate you."

His eyes widened. He'd probably heard her say that word over a hundred times, but it never hurt that much.

"What are you saying? I thought you didn't hate me anymore. I didn't even do anything to make you hate me again," he retorted, losing his calm a bit.

"I just never stopped hating you," she told him.

"Stop kidding me!" He shouted, slamming his hand on the table, "You even said it yourself, that you didn't hate me anymore."

She sighed and leaned back a little, staring at the classroom's roof, "I lied. I had to act like that, because I also made a bet."

He frowned, "A bet?"

She jumped down the table, and started walking around as she was explaining, "Just like Peter bet he wouldn't make anything explode during class until the end of February, I said I would do my best to get along with you until the end of February. Sunday was the 1st of March, so the bet ended, and I could go back to hating you openly."

He then smiled confidently, "Bullshit. You couldn't fake everything."

She stopped walking around and looked at him, "But I really did."

He walked towards her, "Then, why aren't you back to yelling at me? Why are you doing your best not to show any emotions?" He was now right in front of her, "Isn't it because you're afraid I could see through your lies if you let any emotion show?"

He saw her eyes slightly widen, and smirked, knowing he was right, "That's why you wouldn't look at me. Because you couldn't stay expressionless for too long. But I won't let you play that game any longer."

"That's where you're wrong. I'm not playing anything anymore, while before, I was playing nice with you."

He leaned in, placing his face right in front of hers and looking right into her eyes, "I know you weren't faking it. You don't hate me anymore, and you won't be able to hate me anymore."

"Of course I was faking it. You're Scorpius Malfoy, and I'm Rose Weasley. We only know how to hate each other."

He smirked, "And that's where you're wrong. Because I do not hate you at all, Rose Weasley. So you'd better not provoke me."

She sighed, looking away, "You're the one trying to provoke me."

He sighed too and straightened up, "Fine, since you still won't show any emotion, I'll have to steal a reaction out of you." He looked straight into her eyes, "Remember that you're the one who asked for it."

She frowned, "What–"

Before she could finish her sentence, he put his right hand on her lower back and his left hand behind her neck, and suddenly pulled her into a kiss.

And he felt her quickly respond to it. He felt her hands grasping his robes and pulling him closer. He couldn't think of anything right now, besides the fact that he didn't want it to stop.

But then, she suddenly pushed him away.

She was staring at him with shocked eyes, and probably after finally realizing what she'd done, she ran away.

When Scorpius heard her slam the door, he smirked. It was the best reaction he could've got out of her. And now, he was sure she couldn't lie to him, or even to herself, anymore.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

Rose's head was a complete mess. All she could do was run. She entered Gryffindor's common room, didn't pay attention to her friends calling her, and went up straight into her dormitory. She let herself drop on her bed, her head buried into her pillow.

She couldn't believe what just happened.

She tried so hard during the past few days to make him get tired of her and stop bothering her, how the hell did it end up like this?

And why the hell did she respond to that kiss?

No, this wasn't happening.

And yet, she couldn't help replaying the scene into her head again and again.

Why didn't she push him away sooner? Why did she let him fool her again?

At first, seeing him being the one who lost his calm felt good, as if she was the one in control. But he still managed to turn the tables around. Hell, he turned them upside down.

"Rose?" She heard Lena's worried voice call her softly.

She merely grumbled through the pillow.

She then felt Lena sit on her bed, "What happened?"

Rose finally lifted her head and looked at her best friend, "I don't want to talk about it."

But Lena didn't seem to be satisfied with this answer. She grabbed Rose's arm and pulled her up so that that be in a sitting position, "I won't leave you alone that easily."

Rose sighed, "It's that prick, again. I swear I'll kill him." She strangely couldn't use the angry tone she'd usually have used, so it sounded like a pretty weak threat.

"What did he do this time?"

Rose felt her face getting warmer, and looked away, "He messed with my head again."

"Well, you haven't really been nice to him lately, either."

"I was ignoring him, but what he did was far worse!" She snapped. She instinctively touched her lips, and shook her head, trying to forget about that feeling.

Lena nodded slowly, finally understanding, "So, that's what happened… How did you react?"

"I… For a moment, I…" She couldn't say it out loud.

"You responded, right?" Lena smiled slightly.

Rose's eyes widened, but she couldn't deny it anymore, not to her best friend. She sighed, "Really briefly, but as soon as I realized who it was, I pushed him away and ran here."

Lena smiled sympathetically, "You must be really confused right now."

Rose was getting angry, "It's all because of that prick's sick game."

"I don't know what exactly happened, but I'm not sure it's just a game. You probably pushed him to his limit by totally ignoring him for the past few days."

Rose frowned, "What are you saying?"

Lena sighed and shook her head, "So oblivious. You figure it out on your own, it's no use for me to tell you this."

"If you think he likes me, you're totally wrong. He just likes to mess with me, which is completely different," Rose told her.

"That's why I didn't say anything," Lena said.

"Anyway, I think I don't need to say this, but not a word to anyone, ok?"

Lena chuckled, "Of course."

xxxxx

Scorpius entered his dormitory calmly.

"You seem to be in a good mood, did you finally confront Rose?" Sicilia immediately ask him. She was lying on his bed, reading a book.

"I wondered how much time you'll take that new attitude of hers," Damon added, lying on his own bed, doing nothing.

"One, why don't you go hang out in your own dormitory and lie on your own bed?" He told Sicilia while pushing her a little so that he could lie next to her. He was lying on his back, his hands behind his head, "And two, how the hell did you come to that conclusion in just five seconds?"

She put down the book, rested her head on her hands, and smiled slightly at him, "Like I've already told you several times, girls are loud, and there's almost never anyone besides you two in the boys' dormitory. As for my conclusion, I just had to see your face to understand."

"Well, as usual, you're right. She's as stubborn as ever, but at least she won't be able to act as if we were strangers anymore," he merely told them with a smirk.

Sicilia shook her head and sighed, "Let me guess, you made her mad."

"It wasn't my intention, but she drove me crazy, so I did the same."

Damon smirked, "Making Scorpius lose his self-control, that girl never ceases to impress me."

"Even Scorpius Malfoy has his limits," Sicilia stated.

"Would you mind stop talking as if I wasn't there?" Scorpius asked with sarcasm. Damon and Sicilia smiled at each other before listening to their friend and going back to their own occupations – or non-occupations, in Damon's case.

xxxxx

The next day, the four Gryffindor students were leaving the Great Hall after having lunch. Rose then saw Scorpius, Damon and Sicilia walking towards them.

"Hey, I think I forgot my Herbology book in my room, go ahead and I'll join you," she told her friends before speeding up in order to avoid that prick.

Peter frowned, "But we have one free hour before our Herbology class, why is she in such a hurry?"

Lena noticed what Rose had seen before leaving, and knew why she was being like this, but didn't say anything about it and just smiled awkwardly instead, "You know Rose, she never waits when she has to do something."

"Right," he agreed.

The three Slytherins arrived in front of them and they exchanged greetings.

"Where was Rose running off to?" Damon asked.

"She forgot a book in her room," Albus told him.

Lena saw Scorpius smirk and mutter, "Of course she did."

"So, do you also have a free hour right now?" Albus asked them.

Scorpius nodded, "What are you going to do?"

"Probably just hang out in the courtyard, since that's what we agreed to before Rose left," Albus replied.

"Let's go together, then," Damon smiled.

xxxxx

Rose went out of the Gryffindor tower, sighing loudly. Avoiding that prick required a lot of energy.

"Now, let's go back to the others," she told herself, heading towards the courtyard.

Then, she halted as she realized she'd miscalculated something. What if they decided to hang out together? Maybe she should just drag her feet to waste even more time. But that'd be suspicious, since the tower wasn't far from the courtyard.

She started to walk again, preparing herself to the eventuality of having to face him. At least, they wouldn't be alone so he'd probably behave a little.

She was really close now, and could hear people laugh. She recognized Albus' and Damon's voices.

She sighed again. That meant he really was there, too.

"What are you waiting for?" The voice behind her made her jump.

Her eyes widened, "Malfoy? What are you doing here alone?" Was he waiting for her on purpose?

He smirked, "Don't be paranoid, I wasn't hiding and waiting for you. I went to the bathroom, that's all."

She crossed her arms and looked away, "I don't care about what you do. Let's just join the others."

She began to walk, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled it to make her look at him, "Don't think you can run away that easily."

His face was close. Too close. Her eyes instinctively went to his lips. She quickly snapped out of it and yanked his arm away. She looked at him straight in the eyes, angry, "I'm sick of your little game."

He smirked again, "It's not a game at all for me." He then tilted his head and frowned a little, as if he was thinking about it, and added, "It's more like a fight, to be honest."

She rolled her eyes, "A game or a fight, same difference. I won't take any part in it."

He leaned in, his arrogant expression still in place, "Too bad, because you will even if you don't want to." He straightened up, "And I see you've stopped trying to shut down your emotions. Afraid of how I could react if you did it again?"

She felt she was getting a little red in the face. Not because of embarrassment, but because of anger. He was being so annoyingly arrogant, gloating at her misery, enjoying torturing her psychologically. She knew she shouldn't be tricked, and yet, a few days ago, she was thinking that maybe he was a decent person. But unsurprisingly, this was all an act. And to think she'd responded to that prick's kiss…

"You're disgusting," she let out angrily. She could feel the tears going up, but she wouldn't let him see any of it and held them down.

She then saw his smirk drop and his eyes widen out of shock because of her words. And her anger also went down a little.

He then chuckled, but it didn't reach his eyes, "You're so harsh, Rose."

She looked away, "Don't say my name as if we were close." He was just toying with her. There was no reason to feel bad for him.

She suddenly felt his hand on her cheek, making her look at him again. And his annoying smirk was back as he said, "But we are close. Or at least we were yesterday."

She slapped his hand away, "You forced me to be close to you. I never wanted that."

"And yet, you seemed to enjoy it just as much as me."

She looked away, angry and embarrassed that he was right, but she still denied it, "It was a normal physical reaction. Just like when you hit your knee and your leg moves up. But don't think I enjoyed it, because I hated being kissed by you."

And suddenly, she felt his hands pull her face towards his, and his lips crush onto hers. She instinctively closed her eyes, just to feel him pull away from the kiss.

She opened them again, surprised.

He smirked, "Don't think I'd give you the time to control yourself and push me away again so that you could deny that you liked it."

She glared at him, "That was the last time I'd let you take me by surprise."

He smiled arrogantly, "It's your fault, lying to my face so shamelessly."

"You're the shameless one," she retorted angrily and finally went to join the others. He didn't bloke her this time, and just went along with her.

Albus sighed when he saw them, "Are you two fighting again?"

Rose sat next to Lena on the rim of the fountain, crossing her arms and legs, not even bothering to answer.

"Fighting? Why would you think that?" Scorpius said ironically with a grin.

"Whatever," Albus said and starting to talk about Quidditch again.

xxxxx

"Damon," she merely said, blinking twice.

He turned his head and looked at her, "Yes, Lena?"

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked in a neutral tone. She was currently in the Slytherin's boys' dormitories. Since Peter, Albus and Rose had a Quidditch practice, Lena ended up following Damon to hang out a bit. But she didn't know he'd bring her in his dormitory.

He shrugged, "Because it's cosy. Where did you want us to hang out other than here? Our common room is a no since people would be glaring at you. No offense, but some people here still aren't fond of students from Gryffindor. At least no one else is in this room."

"That's exactly what the problem is!" She snapped. She was currently in the Slytherin's boys' dormitories, alone with Damon. "Don't you think people might misunderstand?"

He sat on his bed, "Not as much as when you weren't with Peter yet. And just tell him before someone does. That's the only thing you're worried about, right?"

She ignored the fact that he had a point and just glared at him, crossing her arms, "Did you do that just to annoy him?"

"I'm not that sly," he smirked.

She stared at him, before giving up and sitting next to him.

"But it is a bonus," he added.

She hit his arm, "I knew it."

He then looked at her and smiled slightly, "But don't worry, it's not like he'll be angry at you."

"I know that, but I'd like it if you two could just stop being childish," she said while looking away.

"Why? I like to be a little childish from time to time, it helps release stress."

She rolled her eyes, "Sometimes I think you two are strangely alike on some points."

"Which means you like being around childish people?" He joked.

She shrugged, "I heard it helps release stress."

"Talking about childish people around us, I know two people that are more stubborn than a child who wants sweets," Damon remarked.

Lena chuckled, "It's kind of funny to see how the two smartest people of our year become so childish when they're together."

"Did Rose tell you anything about this recently?" He asked casually.

She looked at him, suspicious, "Are you trying to get information out of me for Scorpius?"

"Of course not!" He denied, looking outraged. He then grinned, "It was only to satisfy my own curiosity."

Lena rolled her eyes, but still replied, "Other than Scorpius being a prick, nothing special." As if she'd broke her promise to her best friend and reveal the truth. "And you, have you heard anything from Scorpius?"

He seemed to think about it before saying, "Nope, he was basically just smirking on his own."

Lena just nodded slowly, not knowing what to say. After a few seconds, Damon looked at her, "Do you want to make a bet about them?"

She merely stared at him, deadpan, "No thanks. No more bets for me. Plus, you'd probably cheat and meddle in their business."

Damon chuckled, "Sicilia said the same thing. Do I really look like a cheater?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

He made a face, "No, I guess I don't." He then frowned, "Why are you done with bets, by the way? Were you that embarrassed to see your boyfriend dressed as a giant owl?"

She laughed, "Of course not, that was hilarious. But to tell you the truth, the four of us made bets about different things, it's just that Peter is the only one who failed."

"What were the other bets about?"

"We decided on New Year's resolutions, and had to stick to them until the end of February. Albus had promised to study regularly, I had to be honest about my feelings and reveal them to the one I liked before the time limit, and Rose–" She stopped there, remembering Rose didn't want Scorpius to know.

"Why did you stop?"

She was thinking about whether she could tell him or not, and then said, "Well, it's over so it doesn't matter if I reveal it now. Rose had to do her best to get along with Scorpius."

Damon looked surprised, "She thought of a resolution like that?"

"Of course not, we were the one who chose it for her. But I'm pretty sure she just acted how she wanted without taking the bet into consideration anyway." That girl was just too stubborn when it came to Scorpius to listen to the others.

"She remembered it clearly when she used it as a poor excuse to make me think she still loathed me, though," they heard Scorpius' voice comment. Lena turned her head and saw him standing at the dormitory's door, smirking, "Already tired of Crawford, Reynolds?"

Lena shook her head and gave him a look, "That's because of remarks like that that she can still say she loathes you, you know."

He shrugged, "I won't play nice just to make it easier for her."

Damon and Lena exchanged looks, and told him at the same time, "So stubborn."

Scorpius let himself drop on his bed and put his hands behind his head, closing his eyes, "Not as much as her."

Lena had to agree with this.

Damon seemed to remember something, "Where's Sicilia by the way? I thought you went to the library together."

"She stopped by her room to take a book to read. She should be here anytime soon."

"She comes here to read a book?" Lena asked.

"That girl looks like she's better off alone, but she actually likes having company," Damon explained to her before smirking arrogantly, "And we're the best company to have."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"Speak of the devil…" Damon joked.

Sicilia walked towards the boys' beds, crossing her arms while holding her book, and told him, "I'm not that scary." She then looked at Lena, "Did he kidnap you?" She asked while slightly pointing her chin at Damon.

Lena chuckled, "As if I would've let him. But I didn't know we were going here."

Sicilia shook her head at Damon, "So childish." She then looked at Scorpius and ordered him, "Move a little."

Scorpius finally opened his eyes, and just stared at her, "Just sit on Damon's bed, why do you always come on mine?"

"Because his immaturity might me contagious," she simply told him, ignoring Damon's protests that came after her statement.

Scorpius sighed and moved on his left, "Happy?"

"Very," she replied and sat on his bed, her back resting on the wall and her legs crossed in front of her. She opened the book and started reading.

Lena was a bit surprised to see them lying next to each other so casually, they almost looked like an old couple. And Scorpius was a lot nicer when he was around Sicilia.

"You two are really close," she couldn't help remarking.

"Are we?" Sicilia asked rhetorically Scorpius.

He shrugged, "We're mostly just used being around each other."

xxxxx

Lena joined Peter, Albus and Rose after their practice. She chuckled at their facial expressions, "I guess your practice was tiring?"

Peter sighed loudly, "I didn't know it was possible for James to be even more serious than last term."

"It's because our next match is against Slytherin, and he knows they're good," Albus remarked.

"You better not lose to Malfoy," Rose warned her cousin at once.

Albus smiled confidently, "I don't intend to. I won't go easy on him because he's my friend, that actually even makes me want to beat him even more."

"So, what did you do while waiting for us?" Peter asked Lena while Rose was still giving a lecture to Albus, telling him that he had to practice harder to be sure to win.

"I was with Damon, he brought me into the Slytherin's boys' dormitories. At first, we were alone, but then Scorpius and Sicilia joined us," she told him bluntly.

Peter blinked, processing the information, and then chuckled, "You're so honest."

"You're really not upset because of this?" She still asked him to be sure.

"Why would I be? I don't like nor trust Stones, but I trust you and your ability to handle him just fine on your own," he replied.

She gasped teasingly, "You can actually think quite clearly, I didn't know."

"You're mean," he told her. He then looked right in front of him, and said, "But just to be sure, he didn't try anything, right?"

Lena smiled at the sight of his flushed face, and then replied, "You know he didn't."

"Of course not, that's why I asked," he argued.

"The way you asked implied you already thought he didn't do anything," she pointed out.

"Whatever."

Lena was happy. She couldn't help but grin at him, "You know, I really like you."

Peter's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he also smiled, putting his arm around her shoulders, "Of course I know, because I also really like you."

"Ah, I listen to you for two seconds and I already get chills from your cheesiness," Rose teased them.

"I'm already known to be childish, I don't care if I'm also cheesy," Peter joked. "And you should find a boyfriend and become cheesy, too. You're too cranky these days, it's not good."

"Don't worry about me, I'm just fine like that."

"I'm more worrying about us. It's tiring to be your friend when you're in a bad mood," he replied seriously.

She crossed her arms, "Then, stop being my friend, because right now, I feel I'm in a reaaally bad mood," she threatened him with a death glare.

He smiled awkwardly, "Come on, you know I was joking."

Albus put his hands on Peter's shoulders and walked ahead, pushing him along, "There's no use telling her now."

Rose sighed, "Your boyfriend's an idiot."

"My boyfriend's also one of your closest friend," Lena pointed out humorously.

"So, Damon really brought you in the Slytherin Dungeon?" Rose then asked.

"Yes, he did. I was surprised, too. And judging by their looks, so were the other students present in their common room."

"No wonder."

"That's why he brought me to his dormitory. Apparently it's always empty except when people are sleeping, so Damon, Scorpius and Sicilia often go there to hang out."

"I see," Rose merely said.

Lena then said, "Sicilia hanging out there also surprised me a bit, it seems she spends more time in the boys' dormitory than in the girls' one."

Rose shrugged, "If no one else's here, it's not a problem I guess."

Lena cast a sideways look at her best friend and casually said, "And seriously Sicilia is impressive. She's able to turn Scorpius into a nice and obedient boy."

Lena looked at Rose's reaction, but she just kept looking towards the front while walking, "It's true that he seems different around her," and she quickly added more quietly, "He even smiles differently."

Lena smiled slightly at her friend's obvious jealousy, but didn't mention it since she was pretty sure Rose wasn't even aware she was jealous.

Rose seemed to snap out of it and said, "I still wonder how someone as mature and respectable as Sicilia could be that arrogant prick's best friend, though."

"Probably because there's more to him than that," Lena pointed out.

Rose sighed heavily, "Let's not talk about that prick anymore, he haunts me enough already on his own."

"Did something else happen with him?"

Rose just looked away, and said, "Nothing worth talking about."

xxxxx

"So, today, you're not going to make a potion, but study one," Professor Hazebrown announced with a smile, before quickly casting a death glare at Peter and Timmy, "Like that, there shouldn't be any incidents."

She then left for a moment to go take the potion they'll have to study.

"She'll probably never leave you alone with that matter," Albus whispered teasingly to Peter and Timmy.

The two boys looked depressed at the idea.

"I'm used to be on a teacher's blacklist, but I really didn't want to be on hers," Timmy complained. "It should be illegal for such a smiling beauty to be able to turn that scary so quickly."

Peter nodded knowingly, "Same here. And if my sister hears about that, she'll be so mad at me."

"Your sister is scarier than Professor Hazebrown when mad?" Timmy asked, shivering at the thought.

"She'd be ecstatic to know she had one more thing in common with her idol," Peter merely said in a depressed tone.

Timmy tapped Peter's right shoulder, "I feel you, lad."

Peter smiled sadly, "Thank you."

Malfoy raised his eyebrow, and asked Rose, "Is Crawford's sister that scary or is he just being a wimp?"

"I don't know, I've met her only a few times, and I've never seen her mad, so…" She replied, not looking at him.

"Tsk, tsk," she heard him say, "You could at least look at me when you're talking to me." He then whispered seductively into her ear, "Or are you too nervous because we're so close?"

Rose felt her cheeks getting warmer, but she hid it with anger and glared at him, "Sorry, but seeing your face just makes me want to puke."

He sighed, "You should drop the act already, you're a really poor actress."

Rose was about to retort something but she forgot all about Malfoy and suddenly focused on the wonderful scent that she began to smell near her. She automatically turned her head to see where that scent came from, and she saw Professor Hazebrown pushing a cart with a big cauldron on it. The cauldron was covered by a lid with holes.

"Here we go," Professor Hazebrown smiled and stopped in the middle of the class, which was right in front of Rose's seat.

Students were instinctively leaning in or standing up, attracted by that scent. And that's how Rose knew what it was.

"Professor, it's Amortentia, isn't it?" She asked her.

Professor Hazebrown grinned and slightly clapped her hands, "Yes, it is, Miss Granger. You're quite good, guessing it right before even seeing the potion. And anyone could tell me how it should look like?"

"It should have a mother-of-pearl sheen and its steam should rise in spirals," Lena answered.

"That's right, Miss Reynolds. Now, everyone please move back before I retrieve the lid." Once every student was back to their seats, she revealed the potion, which looked just like Lena had said.

"Now, who else can tell me more about that potion?"

"It smells differently to everyone since we only smell the scents that attract us," Paula Juventus from Slytherin said.

Professor Hazebrown laughed slightly, "I see the girls are well informed, which I totally get. I was once if you shoes after all," she winked playfully. "How about you see that with your own eyes, or noses, for that matter. Miss Granger, Miss Reynolds and Miss Juventus, could you please come forward and tell us what you smell? Just a few scents that you can distinguish would be enough."

The three girls stood up and took turns to smell the potion.

Rose was the first to go, "I smell new parchment, tulips, something herby, woody and fruity at the same time, and–" She could feel her cheeks getting warmer when she recognized a fourth scent, and decided to take a step back without completing her sentence.

Lena went after her, "For me, it smells like hazelnut hot chocolate, basketball leather fabric, and… Shampoo."

Rose frowned at the slightly shy expression Lena was making while stepping back.

While Paula was enumerating a few of the scents she was smelling, Professor Hazebrown asked the boys who partnered with them to come and smell it too, to prove that it didn't only affect girls. Since Lena had a girl as partner, there were only Malfoy and Maximus Greenfield.

Malfoy stood up first, walking nonchalantly, smelt it carefully without getting too close, and said, "I can smell apple, quill ink, and sycamore wood." He then casually went back to his seat.

Rose couldn't help thinking that, for someone who hated going to the Forbidden Forest, it was strange to be attracted to the smell of one of the most spread sort of trees in that forest. She then heard Professor Hazebrown asking further questions about the potion and focused on the lesson again.

xxxxx

After the Potions class was over, everyone was discussing where to hang out. When they finally decided to go by the lake, Scorpius put his arm around Rose's shoulders and made her stop walking, taking her by surprise.

"Just go ahead, we'll join you in a few minutes," he shouted at the others. Damon and Sicilia seemed to be the only one to hear them as they turned their head and nodded briefly before following the rest of their friends.

Rose moved his arm away and glared at him, "You don't have the right to talk on my behalf. And I don't want to stay with you."

Scorpius smirked, tilting his head towards the direction of their friends, "Too bad, they already left." He then took her arm and began to drag her somewhere.

She yanked her arm away from his grip, "Fine, I'll follow you, but I can walk on my own. Just tell me where you're taking me."

He looked at her, "Just somewhere quiet."

They ended up in the same empty classroom as the last time.

She sighed and gave him a look, "Just so you know, I won't let you fool me anymore."

He smirked, "Don't worry, I won't kiss you without your consent anymore. And I just wanted to clear something up."

She frowned, "What?"

He suddenly put his right hand on her back and pulled her into a hug. Her eyes widened. What the hell was that prick doing now?

She tried to push him away, but he wouldn't let her go. She tried harder, and he used his second arm to hold her tighter.

"Anything familiar?" He simply asked.

"Besides you doing whatever you want in this room I don't see anything that–" She started to retort angrily but stopped when she smelt a scent. Her eyes widened.

He finally let her go, and she saw his smirking face, "By your reaction, I conclude that I was right."

No. Bloody. Way.

"It was that kind of herby, woody and fruity at the same time, right?" He asked her cockily.

Why did Malfoy's cologne smell just like the scent coming from the Amortentia potion? And how did she not notice this?

"You're probably not the only one wearing that kind of cologne," she pointed out, crossing her arms.

"Still, isn't that too much for being a mere coincidence?" He smirked arrogantly. He took a step closer, "First your body, and now even magic contradicts your words. Just admit it already, you're attracted to me."

She looked away, "I have nothing to admit. It is a coincidence."

"Fine, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Before, you recognized another scent but didn't say it out loud. If it's not related to me in any way, I'll believe you."

Her eyes widened, but he shouldn't have noticed since she was still not looking at him. She finally looked at him confidently, "It was sweet cherry pie."

He chuckled, shaking his head, "You're such a bad liar. Why wouldn't you have said it, then?"

"Because I wanted to get away from the potion's effects," she replied quickly, trying to sound convincing. She couldn't tell him it was beer foam, he'd definitely think that's also because of him. Which probably wasn't. Or maybe it was. She didn't even know anymore. "And why are you scrutinising my words? It's only scents. It can smell good but not remind you of something you like. If that was the case, then it would mean you actually like the Forbidden Forest that is full of sycamores."

He merely chuckled, "It was definitely not the reason I smelt that."

"See, that proves I'm right," she told him.

He shook his head and explained mysteriously, "It's not because of the Forbidden Forest, but because of something that happened in it."

She frowned, "I thought only bad things happened to you there." Besides riding on Salamander's back, but he wouldn't have smelt some wood because of that.

Rose was surprised to see him have a real smile on his face as he said, "There is one thing."

She stared at him, wondering what he meant, but quickly gave up and said, "Good for you, then."

He took another step closer, "I actually also recognized one other scent. Milk chocolate."

She frowned again, "I thought you didn't like milk chocolate. That proves one more time that the Amortentia potion wasn't well-brewed and ended up failing, so why did you mention that?"

"I think it worked just fine. I don't eat milk chocolate, but I've tasted some a few days ago, and it obviously left quite a good impression on me."

She didn't know what he was implying, until she saw him briefly looking at her lips. She then remembered she'd eaten some milk chocolate before he… confronted her about her behaviour. But, then, did that mean–

Before she could think about it any further, she felt his hand move her chin up to make her look at him. She was too taken aback to say anything.

He looked straight into her eyes and said, "I'm not playing right now. I like you, Rose."

Rose didn't know what to do or what to say. She merely stared at him, wondering if he was serious or not.

"And I know you feel something for me, too. So, stop thinking with your head and just be honest with yourself." His hand moved from her chin to her cheek, his thumb caressing it gently. "I told you I wouldn't do it without your consent anymore, so it's up to you now."

He stayed like that, looking at her, waiting for her to react in one way or another.

She couldn't take it anymore, how the hell was she supposed to think straight in that position?

"You're so unfair," she merely said before putting her hands behind his head, pulling him into a strong kiss.

She felt him automatically deepen the kiss, with his right hand now running through her hair and the other on her back, pulling her closer. And she didn't care about anything anymore. Screw her brain. Screw everything. So what if he was actually fooling with her? So what if he only wanted to win against her? She didn't care. She only wanted to feel like just that a little longer. And Merlin, he was a good kisser.

They finally broke the kiss.

"Alright, I admit that I am attracted to you, and that, maybe, I don't hate you," she told him.

He chuckled, "Well, that sounds like an understatement."

She crossed her arms, "But don't get me wrong, there's no way this could lead to anywhere." She was able to think straight again.

He smirked, "If you're so sure about that, why did you kiss me like that?"

"To let it out before letting it go. Fighting fire with fire, something like that," she informed him.

He raised his eyebrow at her and tucked a lock of her red hair behind her ear, "You forget that if you play with fire, you'll most likely get burn."

She tried to look unaffected by his touch, and walked towards the door, "Don't get your hopes up, that won't happen." She grabbed the door's handle and turned her head to look at him, "Let's go join the others now, it's been a little more than just a few minutes and they might start to worry."

He stared at her, shaking his head and smirking, "You're such a tease." He then walked towards the exit, and opened the door himself, his hand on hers. He cast a playful look at her, "But don't think I'll let you get away with this that easily." He then went out of the room, not checking if she was following her.

She stood still for about a second before catching up to him. She was now walking next to him and looking right in front of her when she said, "I didn't expect you to."

She heard him chuckle, but he didn't bother answering.

xxxxx

The others were sitting on the grass near the lake. Albus and Peter were talking about their Quidditch training sessions, and Suzy and Sicilia were talking about a book they'd both read.

Damon leaned a little towards Lena and told her while pointing his chin at the two girls, "Do you know since when these two are friends?"

Lena shrugged, "You're one of Sicilia's best friends, you should know better than me."

"It's not like she talks a lot about her personal life you know."

"Then, you should just ask her," she suggested matter-of-factly.

Damon chuckled, "You keep saying the same things as her, it's quite funny."

Lena smiled, "That's because great minds think alike. And that you should actually listen to what we say."

He leaned back a bit and said in a laid-back manner, "Well, I'm not really curious anyway. But she'd never been really close to a girl before, so it's a little strange to see her like that."

"For someone who's not really curious, you seem to still pay some attention."

"Well, we do spend a lot of time around each other, so of course I'd notice some things." He then decided to change subjects, "Talking about being curious, I was wondering why you'd hesitated before saying you smelt shampoo coming from the potion."

He smirked when he saw her cheeks turn a little pink while she said, "Because I wasn't sure what smell it was exactly."

He gave her a look, "Then why do I feel like you immediately recognized it but was embarrassed to say it out loud?"

She looked away and finally admitted, "I won't tell you because I know you'll use it to tease me."

He held his hands up, "I promise I won't tease you about it," he then thought about it and quickly added, "Too much."

"I really can't tell you," she insisted.

"Why? Is it related to me?" He joked.

She rolled her eyes, "You always have to do a remark like that, don't you?"

"You didn't deny it," he pointed out, trying to tease her until she'd snap and tell him the truth.

"It wasn't related to you," she told him.

He feigned thinking about it for a few seconds, and then said, "I don't believe you."

She gave him a look, "I'm telling you the truth."

"Prove it, then. Tell me what it was," he smirked. She should give in pretty soon at this stage.

"It was just shampoo ok," she was starting to lose her calm.

"But what kind of shampoo?"

"Good smelling shampoo."

"Where did you smell it?"

"I don't know where exactly."

"Then, on whom did you smell it?"

"Why are you so curious?"

"Because you're so embarrassed about it. So just tell me already, and I'll stop bothering you."

"It's Peter's, ok?" She finally revealed in a louder voice, snapping.

Damon stared at her for a second before chuckling.

He then heard Peter ask, "What's mine?" Everyone had heard her.

Lena just blushed heavily, and said nothing.

Damon smirked and looked at her frowning and oblivious boyfriend, "Shampoo."

He just kept frowning, still not getting it, "What are you talking about?"

Albus shook his head, "You're so slow, mate. Think about when she talked about shampoo."

Peter's eyes then widened, "Oh. Oh!" He grinned and moved towards them, putting his arm around Lena's shoulders, "You're so cute when embarrassed."

She elbowed him gently, acting shy, "Shut up, idiot."

"Come on, I don't get to see your cute and soft side often, let me enjoy it a little."

"I just got here and already want to leave. One more second of this cheesiness and I'd start to puke rainbows," they heard Scorpius' voice comment from behind.

Lena moved a little away from Peter, embarrassed. Damon turned his head and saw him and Rose standing next to each other.

"What took you so long? I remember hearing you say it'd take just a few minutes, for whatever you wanted to do," he asked his best friend.

Scorpius smirked while casting a sideways look at Rose, who was looking away from him, and said, "We just talked it out, trying to improve our relationship and all you know. But you know it's not an easy task with that stubborn girl over here."

"As if I was the only difficult one here," she immediately retorted.

"At least I'm trying to get along with you," he pointed out.

"That, you are," she sighed, implying something that Damon wasn't able to understand.

Damon was wondering what happened between them. He also couldn't really tell if Rose was actually mad at Scorpius or not.

"So, do they get along or not in the end?" Suzy quietly asked Albus.

He just shrugged, "I don't even know. At least they talk to each other again."

Scorpius then clapped his hands together, "How about we stop talking about me and Miss Perfect here, and just enjoy the beginning of the weekend?" He lied down on the grass – next to Sicilia who hadn't move from her place, unlike the others – to make an example.

Sicilia just looked at him while the others were following his example, and said, "You seem to be in a good mood."

He smiled at her, "That's because I am."

She smiled before taking a book out of her bag and opening it, "Good."

He straightened up, and suddenly ruffled her hair, grinning, "Look at you, openly caring about me and all."

She arranged her hair with one hand, and shook her head at him, still smiling, "Of course I care."

"Am I dreaming?" A confused Peter suddenly asked Damon. He was watching how Scorpius and Sicilia were interacting.

"Nope, that's how they really are when together. I guess they feel more comfortable around everyone." It was rare to see them like that in public.

"Still, that version of Malfoy is just so strange to witness," Peter frowned.

"Well, Sicilia _is_ the only one who's able to bring out that side of him, and the other way around, probably because they've been with each other since forever. I guess it's strange for people who don't know them since a long time," he replied, still watching his two best friends laughing together. Childhood friends sure were something.

"Totally. He even seemed nice for a second," Peter remarked.

"What a surprising picture," Lena commented from behind.

The two boys turned their heads to look at her. She smiled at them, "You're actually talking to each other in a normal way."

"And I think I even heard Peter say that Scorpius seemed nice. Have you eaten something weird?" Rose, who was standing next to Lena, added.

"Believe me, I'm wondering too," Peter replied to her.

Damon shrugged, "Scorpius is nice, just not to everyone. And for the record, he is pretty nice to you, Rose."

She muttered something, but Damon couldn't hear it clearly. He decided to ignore it and went to sit between Scorpius and Sicilia, grinning at their glares, "What? Are you excluding me for the circle? Or the line, in that case."

"As if you'd let us," Scorpius simply said, moving back a little to have some more personal space.

Sicilia sighed, and began to read her book again, saying nothing.

"You're so cold, Sicilia," Damon told her. "Even though you were acting so warm and cute a few minutes ago."

"That's why I'm tired now," she said.

He chuckled, "You're really one of a kind."

xxxxx

Rose was starting to think she wasn't as smart as she thought. Every strategy of hers failed miserably, and he always had the upper hand.

Fighting fire with fire, right. She'd better have resisted back then, now she was done. Just one mere touch from him would shake her now. Why did that prick have to be so seductive anyway? And why did she have to notice it?

She couldn't go back to fully hating him. And she couldn't ignore him either. She didn't know what to do anymore.

"Why don't you give in already?" Lena suddenly asked her, as if she'd read in her thoughts.

"How…" Rose merely said, surprised.

"You looked like you were having an inner fight again, and it looks tiring too."

Rose sighed, "I am. I don't know what to do anymore."

"About Scorpius, I guess?"

"He makes me so confused," she said, frustrated.

"Are you sure you're not the one confusing yourself?"

Rose frowned, "What do you mean?" She wasn't the one playing tricks on herself.

Lena sat next to Rose on her bed, "Every time you seem to get along with him, you immediately panic and act like you hate him again or ignore him, as if you'd made something outrageous."

"It's not getting along with him the problem," Rose said.

"Right, it's letting it go further that scares you, isn't it," Lena smiled slightly.

Rose looked away, "I can't let him win."

Lena sighed, "It's not a fight, you know."

"It is, he even said so," she replied.

"_I like you, Rose."_ Rose shook her head. Why did she think about that again?

Lena put her hand on her forehead, and shook her head, "He sure doesn't help."

"Why would he? He must like the chase, and I'm currently the pray."

"Why won't you at least consider the fact that he might be serious?"

"_I'm not playing right now. I like you, Rose." _She really had to stop remembering that sentence.

"Because I can't." It would be game over for her if she did that.

"I really don't understand what's stopping you, except your pride of course."

Truth was, she was scared. Scared to believe him. Scared to admit whatever she was feeling for him. Scared that she was right, and he was just toying with her, waiting for her to fall into his trap to taunt her endlessly afterwards. But saying that out loud would be the same as admitting it, and then there really would be no way back. Then again, perhaps she'd already crossed the line.

But she didn't say anything like that, instead she said, "Even if he was serious, it wouldn't change anything anyway."

She just couldn't see herself going out with _Scorpius Malfoy_. She'd hated him for over five years. Even now, most of their conversations ended with a fight. When they get along, it only lasts a few days at best. She couldn't picture them together as a happy couple, like Albus and Suzy or Peter and Lena. She shuddered at the mere idea.

"Nope, impossible," she insisted.

xxxxx

The next day, Rose was studying at the library, when she noticed she forgot to bring her Ancient Runes book, thing that rarely happened to her. She therefore went to search for an exemplar.

"Hello," he whispered seductively into her ear while she was searching for her book.

She jumped a little and turned around, "What's going on with you?" She whispered angrily, trying not to look affected.

Malfoy smirked, "I was simply greeting you."

She looked away and crossed her arms, "You could do it more simply."

"Of course, but then it would've have tickled your senses, am I right?"

That insufferable prick, seriously. She merely rolled her eyes, "Whatever. You greeted me, so now leave me alone."

Of course, instead of listening to her, he took a step closer, "Why? Afraid you won't be able to resist me if I stay?" He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

She slapped his hand away before she lost control again, and told him angrily, "Stop touching me." She instinctively looked around.

He smirked again, "Don't worry, no one ever goes here. Ancient Runes isn't a really popular subject, after all."

She wasn't sure if she should be relieved or not. Between having new rumours spreading about them, or being alone with him, which one was the worst?

She decided it'd be best not to let either happen, and therefore started to walk away.

He blocked her way with his arm, "You're so cold. How can you ignore me after kissing me like you did?"

"I may be attracted to you, I can't keep doing this when I don't even like you," she retorted.

His smirk faltered for a second, but was back just after that, "Are you sure you don't like me even one bit?"

She couldn't flinch now. She looked straight into his eyes, "I'm sure."

"So, you kissed me only out of desire?"

She looked away, "Don't say it like that. But I guess that's right."

She then felt his arm around her waist, quickly pulling her closer, "Then, if I do that, you'd be flustered, right?"

She instinctively looked at him again when he'd pulled her towards him. His face was so close. His body was so close. She stared at him for a second, before pushing him away. But not too hard, she didn't want to make some noise and draw attention.

"Even if I was, nothing would happen. I like to be with someone I actually have feelings for."

He sighed, and held his hands up, "Fine, I'll stop for now." He began to walk away.

She frowned. That easily? She should be happy, so why was she feeling frustrated instead? She just stood there, staring at the end of the alley from which he'd disappeared.

"Missing me already?" She then heard his annoyingly arrogant voice coming from behind.

She turned her head, shocked to see him there.

He crossed his arms, and shook his head tauntingly, "I didn't even hurry to come from here, and yet you're still there. It seems that I have quite the effect on you."

She hated that she didn't know how to respond. She was having a hard time finding a good excuse, and finally crossed her arms and said, "I thought you were up to something, and apparently, I was right."

He chuckled, "It's wonderful how you always manage to come up with an excuse." He leaned in a bit, his arms still crossed, "Admit it, you were disappointed I left that quickly." His eyes then wandered down to her lips, which made her instinctively look at his.

And before she knew what was happening, he'd pulled her into a kiss. And once again, she responded to it, but she quickly snapped out of it and broke the kiss.

He smirked, "You really are a tease."

She looked away, embarrassed to have let her guard down again, "I thought you said you wouldn't do that anymore. But I forgot you were a manipulative liar."

"I told you I wouldn't do it without your consent anymore, but right now the look in your eyes was asking me to do it," he replied.

"That's because you stared at my lips. Studies have proven that, when someone does that, the other person would instinctively do the same. You basically tricked me again," she argued.

He now looked amused, "Right, try to rationalize your desire for me. In the end, you still wanted me to kiss you, otherwise you wouldn't have responded. Again."

Why did he have to be good at deductions?

She sighed heavily, "I already admitted that fact. What I'm saying is that it can't go any further, and it certainly can't stay that way. So, let's stop this once and for all."

"But the thing is, we can't go back, either. So, what do we do now?" He asked with a smirk.

"We can if you'd just stop kissing me or touching me every time you get the chance," she argued.

"But I don't intend to stop anytime soon. So, why don't _you_ give in? You'd also do yourself a favour, frankly. It must be tiring to be constantly swimming in denial."

She rolled her eyes, "Sorry, but I'm known to be quite stubborn. And don't expect me to be your next… snog-mate or whatever. Unlike your previous conquests, I happen to have self-esteem and values."

He smirked again, "I know, that's why I'm actually quite fond of you."

She frowned, a little surprised by his honesty. Or at the good act he was pulling off.

He put his hand on her cheek, and looked at her somewhat endearingly, "And I do not want you to be a mere 'snog-mate,' I can assure you."

She blinked. Was he implying he really wanted something serious, then? It was becoming more and more difficult not to believe him, she had to be careful.

He moved his hand from her cheek to held back a few locks of her hair as he approached his face and gently kissed her cheek.

Now, she didn't see _that_ one coming.

He then looked at her with a smile, "Since I don't want you to only be physically attracted to me, I'll have to change tactics."

She was frozen, not knowing how to react and too surprised to do anything.

He chuckled slightly, but in a gentler and less teasing way than the other times, and said, "See you around, Rose."

He finally walked away, and this time he didn't come back.

He was so hard to read. One time, he'd be insufferably arrogant, and the next minute, he'd act like this. Rose didn't know what to think anymore. But she was sure of one thing. His so-called new tactic was a strong one and even might get the best of her.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

It was Wednesday afternoon, and Malfoy hadn't done anything strange to Rose since the last time at the library. He was acting as if nothing happened, and she didn't know if she should be relieved or not.

He explicitly told her he wouldn't stop, and yet he was like that. She was afraid he was up to something. They also hadn't been alone together since that day, so this might be the reason. But she decided to just enjoy these days of peace without thinking too much.

She was on her way to the library when she saw him and Sicilia walk out of it together. She instinctively stopped walking and hid, hoping he wouldn't see her. He might've done nothing for the past few days, she'd better not have him see her while she was on her own.

She watched them walk away, genuinely smiling and laughing together. They really were different when together. She couldn't help but feel weird whenever she'd see them act like that. It was too unnatural to see him like that. Even when she'd seen him alone with Damon or Albus, he'd still act arrogantly and taunt people. She felt like he was a whole other person when he was alone with Sicilia.

Not that she cared, though.

She was just curious, wondering if they were like Peter and Lena before dating: close friends that were too afraid to admit their feelings for each other.

It'd be great if it was true, really. Like that, he wouldn't bother her anymore, and she could go back to her peaceful life. Maybe she should try to give them a little push.

She then realized they were out of sight, and finally walked in the library, thinking about how she should proceed.

xxxxx

That night, she was in her dormitory with Lena, getting ready to go to bed. Minzy and Violetta were also there, talking about boys as usual.

"They never stop, do they?" Lena commented quietly.

Rose chuckled, "Never."

Suddenly, something Violetta said caught Rose's ear, "You know Luke Hammington, from Ravenclaw? I heard he's interested in Sicilia Grande from Slytherin."

"Really?" Minzy gasped, "When I think about it, I've never seen her with a boyfriend."

"Maybe she'll have one pretty soon, then. Luke is quite handsome, too," Violetta replied.

"I don't think so, there's a reason why we've never seen her with anyone. She must be really difficult when it comes to boys, and I heard she said no to everyone who ever dared to ask her."

Violetta then seemed to remember that Lena and Rose were in the room, and asked them, "You two are often together with her these days. What do you think?"

Lena shrugged, "We never talk about things like that."

Violetta sighed heavily, "Of course you don't." She seemed to think a little before saying, "Does it seems like she likes someone or anything? Any boy she's close with, maybe?"

"We won't help you start rumours," Rose pointed out.

Violetta and Minzy exchanged a disappointed look and sighed. Minzy told her best friend, "Let's go down to the common room, I'm getting depressed here."

Violetta nodded and they both walked out of the dormitory.

Lena shook her head once they were gone, "These two are unbelievable."

"Let's hope they never become friends with Petunia, that would be dangerous," Rose added jokingly.

"It's a miracle it still hasn't happened," Lena chuckled. "Poor Sicilia though, it seems like she's their new target."

Rose shrugged, "They'll probably get bored to talk about her when they'll discover there isn't much to talk about."

"Unless they found out she's best friends with Scorpius and Damon," Lena remarked, "I'm still baffled they haven't noticed yet."

"It's probably because we know they're close, but to other people they just seem like regular housemates I guess."

"Probably because that's Sicilia we're talking about. She almost never shows any emotion. Even if I've seen her smile more often these days."

That was Rose's chance. She said casually, "Talking about that, I've recently been wondering if Malfoy and Sicilia didn't have feelings for each other."

Lena frowned, smiling strangely, "It's unusual for you to think about things like that."

"Well, if the two of them started to date, that prick would finally leave me alone, you know. Didn't Damon tell you anything?"

Lena shook her head, "He always says he's never able to understand what's on her mind. But he said she told him to just ask what he wanted to know. So maybe you should do that."

xxxxx

The next day, Rose saw Sicilia sitting alone on a bench, reading. She sat next to her, "Hey."

Sicilia lift her head up and smiled politely, "Hi."

"What are you doing here on your own?"

"Just reading."

"And what about Damon and Malfoy?"

"Scorpius has his Quidditch practice, and Damon is probably somewhere, flirting with some girls. But it's not like I'm always with them, I'm pretty fine on my own, too."

"I know, that's why people that don't really know you don't even notice you're best friends with them," Rose remarked, remembering Violetta and Minzy's conversation.

"And you, what are you doing on your own?" Sicilia asked her.

"Albus is with Suzy, and Lena and Peter are together, so I was thinking about going to the library or something."

She merely nodded slowly, "I see."

Rose didn't know how to ask her about Malfoy. So she thought about something else, "I heard Luke Hammington is interested in you."

"Well, I am not interested in him, or in dating anyone for that matter," she replied.

"You've never liked anyone?" Rose asked, curious.

Sicilia looked at her, "I didn't know you'd be curious about things like that. But in fact, yes, I guess I do like someone."

Rose's eyes widened, shocked by her sincerity. And by the fact she was talking in present. "But then, don't you want to date that person?"

Sicilia shook her head, "Now isn't the right time."

"Why?"

"He's still a little immature, he's never serious about anyone, but he's slowly changing. I've known him for a quite a long time, and it's the first time he seemed to truly care about a girl."

Rose frowned, if she was talking about Malfoy, who could that girl be? It couldn't possibly be her, right?

"And who's that girl?" She still asked, cautious.

Sicilia smiled slightly, "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that, I think it's not my place to reveal something so personal. I always answer truthfully when people ask me, but only when it's about me."

"You're right, sorry. Does he know you like him?"

Sicilia chuckled, "There's no way he would know."

"And what about him? Do you think he's returning your feelings?"

She shook her head again, "He doesn't see me like that yet."

Rose frowned, "Yet?" How could she be so sure it'd change?

"If I decide to make a move, I'll make him change his mind."

For someone who'd never had a boyfriend, she seemed pretty confident. She didn't even seem to be worried she might be too late if she waited too long.

"You're really something," she couldn't help but remark.

Sicilia chuckled, "I can assure you I'm not. I may change the way he sees me, but I'm not confident in being able to make him fall for me. That's probably why I'm waiting, too. I'm just a normal girl who's afraid of rejection and of losing a great friend in the process."

Rose could ask if it really was Malfoy, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, although she didn't know why. She didn't need to anyway, it could only be him. She then stood up, "I'm going to the library now, or else I wouldn't have the time to finish anything before dinner. Do you want to come with me?"

Sicilia declined politely, "I'm fine, thanks. I'll finish this chapter and go back to the Slytherin Dungeon."

Rose nodded and started to walk away, but she stopped and turned her head to look at Sicilia. She smiled slightly and told her, "And whoever that girl is, I'm sure it's not the first one he truly cared about, Sicilia." And she started to walk again before Sicilia could answer.

She felt strange after saying that. She put that on the fact that she thought Sicilia was too good for someone like that prick.

xxxxx

"Since when does he get to join us?" Rose asked Albus on their way to see Hagrid.

"We've already had that conversation. Since Hagrid told me he likes him," Albus told her. "And he's also a prefect, so he can 'patrol' with us."

She sighed when she saw Malfoy waiting for them outside. He smirked at her, "Well, hello there."

She rolled her eyes and ignored him.

"Your cousin sure lacks manners," he told Albus.

Albus shook his head at their behaviours, "It's always nice to be with you two."

"You knew it'd be like that. Hence again, why did you invite him?" She'd rather not spend her evening with that prick.

"Come on, you know you're glad to see me," Malfoy smirked arrogantly.

Albus sighed, "No more complaining. Let's just go meet Hagrid happily, ok?" He was the first to head down towards Hagrid's hut, not looking back to see if they were following him.

"I've never told you, but you're cute when you're angry. Now that I think about it, maybe that's one of the reasons I love to tease you so much," Malfoy casually told her with a smile before going along with Albus, who was totally oblivious of the situation.

Rose merely blinked. Just what was that? She slightly shook her head, ignoring the sudden warmness of her cheeks, and quickly followed them silently.

Albus knocked at their big friend's door, and a grinning Hagrid opened it, "Lil' guys! It's always good ter see yeh! Come in, come in!" He moved back to let them in.

The three of them entered, "Sit! Sit!" Hagrid told them gleefully as he also took a seat.

They talked with him for a while. Hagrid told them about the hippogriffs, and that a new one was born a few days ago. Malfoy surprisingly behaved well. They finally decided it was time for them to go back to the castle.

"See yeh! An' don' forget, yeh're always welcome here!" Hagrid said as he walked them out.

"We know," Albus and Rose exclaimed at the same time, grinning.

"Thank you," Malfoy simply said with a polite smile.

They walked back inside the castle, when Albus suddenly stopped, "That's my cue. I promised to meet Suzy since I was already out of the dormitory."

Rose looked at him, deadpan, "Of course you'd bail on me."

"You're a big girl, you can walk to our tower alone. And If you can't, Scorpius is there anyway," Albus joked.

"That's exactly the problem! Stop leaving me alone with that prick!" She snapped while keeping her voice reasonably low.

"I don't understand why you're even complaining, a lot of girls would be happy to have me protecting them," Malfoy smirked arrogantly.

She glared at him, "But you're the one I should be protected from."

"Anyway, I'm going to be late, so I'll let you two figure things out on your own. See you!" Albus told them with a grin before walking away.

Rose crossed her arms and grunted, "That traitor." She then cast a sideways look at Malfoy and said, "You go your way, I go mine." She started to walk away from him, but he soon was next to her again. She stopped and gave him a look.

"What? That's the way I chose," he smirked.

She sighed heavily, "Whatever." She decided to just ignore him and just walk the fastest possible to her dormitory.

But he didn't seem to agree and grabbed her wrist to stop her.

She merely gave him a look, "You have to fix that habit of yours."

He smirked, and instead of letting it go, he pulled her closer, "Why? I'm sure you don't really mind."

She froze for two seconds before pushing him away. She looked away, "I do mind."

"Right, because if I keep being so close to you, you won't be able to ignore the feelings you're having. Too bad that's exactly what I want."

"Then, why did you leave me alone for the past few days?" She couldn't help asking.

He smirked again, "Did I just hear a hint of disappointment?"

"Disappointment because you stopped, yes," she automatically retorted.

He chuckled, "To answer your question, I wanted to give you some time to think. But I'm not really patient, especially when we're alone together in the dark." He took a step closer.

She took a step back, "Stop having strange thoughts. Whatever you think might happen, won't."

He stopped and crossed him arms, looking at her with his usual arrogant expression, "Right, you're so confident that you don't even dare to let me get close to you."

"I don't want to have to hex you and get a detention because of that," she replied.

"You won't have to do anything since I won't try anything," he assured her. "I'm not trying to seduce you, that's already done, but to get you to admit that you like me."

"I do not like you, how many times do I have to say that? Plus, stop playing with me and go to the one you really like. You're the one who isn't honest with himself."

He raised his eyebrow, amused, "I don't know where you got the idea I liked someone else, but you seem pretty jealous for someone who doesn't like me."

"I get it, you've never been serious about anyone before, and it scares you. But I'm tired of being you're new distraction just because you can't man up and face your feelings," she told him straight in the eyes. "Have you ever thought it might hurt her in the process, too?"

"You're right, it scared me and I didn't want to admit having these feelings," he told her with a serious face.

She felt a pang if her chest, surprised he'd admitted it so easily. So, she was right, but why didn't it make her feel better at all?

He then went on, "But you're wrong about one thing. I am currently facing them, and you're not a distraction, you're the main point, Rose."

Her eyes widened. It wasn't supposed to go like that. He wasn't supposed to stick with this nonsense and be so serious about it.

"You're confused between liking to tease me, and liking me, that's all," she insisted. "Seriously, how could we possibly be happy together?"

He smiled, "So, you thought about it, too."

"Just to confirm what I was already thinking. If I liked you, I could imagine it may work, but I can't, so I don't like you. Which is normal because we don't get along at all."

"We got along when you weren't trying to convince yourself you hated me. And we got along when you weren't trying to convince yourself you didn't like me. You're the one keeping this from working."

"Because I don't want it to work, that's what I've been telling you. I do not want to be with you, and I therefore don't have any efforts to do."

He crossed his arms and smirked confidently, "I don't believe you. You can't only feel physically attracted to me, you're not like that. There's definitely something more."

"It was just a fling, a brief moment of insanity, because it'd been a long time since I kissed someone. But now I'm fine, I don't feel anything at all for you anymore. No feelings or attraction whatsoever."

"You know what? I'm tired of arguing with you. If you're saying that, I guess I need to go back to seducing you," he said as he was walking towards her confidently. "I won't let you go back on your words."

He put his hands on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes, "Go on and say again that you don't feel anything." His face was only a few inches away from hers. He looked at her lips and then at her eyes again, "Tell me you don't feel the urge to kiss me when we're this close."

She couldn't say anything.

He smirked and let her go, "You should at least come up with believable lies."

She looked away, embarrassed, "Why are you even like this? We still hated each other some time ago."

"I've stopped hating you a long time ago. Or maybe I've never even really hated you," he told her quietly, almost endearingly.

"You honestly like me? You're really not playing a sick prank on me or anything?" She finally asked, realizing even he couldn't lie that well.

He chuckled, amused, "I honestly like you. I have feelings for you. I want to kiss you every time I see you. I want to make you mine." He'd taken one step forward between each sentence, and was now standing right in front of her again, "Did I make it clear enough?" He put his hand on her cheek, making her look at him, "Now, will you please stop being on the defensive and accept your own feelings, so that I can make it happen?"

"I…" She didn't know what to say, since she didn't even know what she was thinking and how she was feeling anymore. He meant what he said, she was sure about it. But what did she want? She always pushed away any thoughts like that, and therefore genuinely didn't know how she really felt. So she decided to be honest, "I don't know how I feel anymore."

He looked surprised for a second, and then smiled as he backed away a bit, "That's progress, I guess. Then think about it, and quickly realize that you also like me."

"You're so full of yourself," she weakly rebuked, looking away. "How can you be so sure I like an arrogant prick like you?"

"Because if you didn't, you wouldn't need to think about how you feel," he said matter-of-factly. "But if you still have doubts, I can help you," he added seductively.

"I don't need any help!" She snapped, and added more quietly, looking away from him again, "I just need some time."

He smiled, "Fine, now let's go back." He started to walk, not bothering looking behind.

She stared at his back for a few seconds, noticing he should've taken another way if he wanted to go to the Slytherin Dungeon. She didn't say anything, though, and just walked next to him.

She saw him cast a sideways look at her, probably a little surprised she was willingly walking next to him, but he didn't comment it.

"So, did you finish that book?" He suddenly asked after some time, breaking the silence.

She was taken aback for a second before understand what book he meant, "I did. I really liked it too, especially the twist at the end. It's rare I don't see a twist coming, but this time I was genuinely surprised."

"I understand what you mean. It wasn't clichéd and everything still made sense, if not more, once it was revealed."

"Illyanna Fortenberry's really talented indeed. I can't wait until she comes out with a new book."

"I read somewhere that she was already working on one. I'm always amazed how fast she can write a book and still come up with something so good and detailed, especially with all the research she does for each story."

"She's truly amazing," Rose stated.

Then, Malfoy suddenly stopped. She frowned at him, and he merely looked amused, "I think that's where we go separate ways."

She finally noticed they already were standing next to the stairs leading to the Gryffindor tower.

"Oh, right," she merely said.

He smirked and leaned towards her, "Are you disappointed we're already here?"

She gave him a look, "Don't you ever stop?" Before he could reply she added more neutrally, "I just didn't realize we'd already walked that much."

"Of course you didn't, that's what happens when you're with a good company. And especially when you're with the person you like," he pointed out with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes at him, but wasn't angry when she said, "You're such an arrogant prick, stop getting ahead of yourself like that. Now, goodnight."

She walked on the stairs, not waiting for his answer. When she still didn't get any, she turned her head, thinking he might've just left already. Her eyes widened when she saw him still standing there, smiling. When their eyes met, he just casually nodded goodbye to her and finally left.

That prick. He managed to have the last word without even actually talking.

xxxxx

Scorpius entered the Slytherin Dungeon and saw Sicilia sitting on the couch in their common room. Apparently everyone else was already sleeping. She didn't move a bit and kept on reading her book.

"Still not sleeping?" He asked her while sitting next to her.

"How was your little walk?" She merely asked, ignoring his question and still not looking at him.

"Pretty good. There's one thing that surprised me, though. Rose seemed to be under the impression that I like another girl and that this girl likes me back, and no matter how long I thought about it, I always end up concluding the girl she was talking about was you," he cast a sideways look at his childhood friend, "So I was wondering, did she come to that conclusion on her own, or did someone help her?"

Sicilia still wouldn't look up and said, "It's true that she came to me this afternoon, and she asked me if I had someone I liked, and I answered truthfully. I never told any name, though, she assumed that on her own."

Scorpius merely smiled at her, "You're so scheming. But I'm touched."

She finally looked briefly at him with a smile, "I didn't really do anything."

He chuckled and leaned back a bit, resting his head on the couch. After a few seconds, he asked casually, "So, is it him?" He had already considered that possibility while watching them, but she'd never actually said anything that could prove it before tonight.

"That information is irrelevant for the time being. Forget about it," she replied neutrally.

He sighed with a smile, "Always true to yourself, Sissy. But fine, it's like I'd never heard anything."

She simply nodded and went back to reading her book.

"Let me just say this before I forget everything about that information," he then added, "He is a great lad, and I hope everything will work out for you two."

She smiled without looking up and replied quietly, "Thank you."

He just smiled back, before lying down on his back, resting a little here.

"Just go to bed already instead of sleeping here," she remarked.

"I'm feeling lazy right now. I'll go in a few minutes," he told her, his eyes already closed.

He heard her sigh, "You can be such a child sometimes."

He smiled and just said, "Wake me up when you've finished reading."

xxxxx

Rose was unable to fall asleep, she had too much on her mind.

What was she supposed to do now? It all felt surreal.

She couldn't ignore it or doubt it anymore. Scorpius Malfoy likes her. Scorpius. Malfoy. Likes. Her.

That arrogant and insufferable prick has feelings for her. For real.

Then, was it ok if she also had feelings for him? And if she really did, what would happen? They'd start to go out?

Nope. It was too strange to think about it that way.

Let's just figure out her own feelings, and not think about what happens next.

So, Malfoy. She used to hate him with passion. Then, he became friends with Albus. And everyone became friends together. And she eventually stopped minding his presence. They were sometimes even able to talk normally without fighting. He still was an arrogant prick, but less insufferable than before. He could be surprisingly mature, and was able to be serious while they were working together.

And then, he started flirting shamelessly with her. She didn't consider it as flirting at that time, thinking it was his new way to taunt her, but it might really have been flirting.

Now that she was thinking about it, he didn't do anything wrong since he was friends with Albus. He was only guilty of making her confused and lost, but if he was serious about it and wasn't trying to psychologically torture her, she couldn't really blame him for that.

She realized it was the first time she was thinking about him objectively, and not trying to point out – or even imagine – his flaws and bad sides.

Albus has become really close to him, Lena seems to think he's a decent person, and even she never thought he was evil or anything. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to admit she liked spending time with him. But she realized she actually did.

Even though he'd constantly tease her, and she'd constantly argue with him, she realized it was never boring to be with him. He provoked her, he challenged her, and she never bothered holding back with him. She was a completely different person when she was with him. She wasn't better or worse, just different. And weirdly enough, he seemed to understand her pretty well.

They weren't friends. But they weren't enemies either. She was even able to joke with him at some point. He might be right, after all. She might be the one keeping them from getting along. Maybe it was a fight she'd better lose. And it sure was about time she stopped running away.

xxxxx

"I always wondered, aren't you interested in playing Quidditch at all? I mean, you seem like the sporty type, and you're friends with basically the whole team," Damon asked Lena while they were hanging out until the Gryffindor Quidditch finished their practice.

She shrugged, "I didn't know about Quidditch until I got here, and even though I like watching it, I'm not really into playing it. I'm more like a down-to-earth person. But it's true I miss playing basketball when I'm here. I sometimes play with Peter, Rose and Albus since I taught them the rules but it's not often as they're already busy enough with Quidditch."

"You could teach me too, I don't know much about the game but I heard it's good to be tall to play it, so I shouldn't be too bad."

She smiled, "Why not? At least we'd do something different for once."

"That's decided then. Next time, we'll play basketball," he concluded with a grin.

"You do know it will make you sweat, right?" Sicilia suddenly remarked as she entered the room.

"Stop popping up like that and casually chiming in conversations," Damon complained.

"I didn't pop up, I simply opened the door and went in. And I was just wondering if you were aware of that fact, since it doesn't sound like you."

"I like new things, and I heard a lot of girls find basketball players sexy," he smirked.

Lena gave him a look, "I should've known you didn't have only pure intentions."

"You already have enough groupies like that, don't you think?" Sicilia pointed out.

"If we play together, I won't allow you to invite them," Lena automatically warned him. "Their shrieks would be annoying."

"You two are cute when jealous," he smirked arrogantly.

Sicilia and Lena both looked at him with a deadpan expression, and said sarcastically at the same time, "Right."

He feigned shuddering, "You two are so alike it's frightening you know. You don't even spend that much time together."

"We're not alike because we hang out with each other, but because we both have to deal with your playboy attitude on daily basis," Lena pointed out.

"And yet you're both here, with me," he smirked.

"Because I didn't know what to do while waiting for the others," Lena replied with a fake serious tone.

"And it's just a habit for me to come here," Sicilia added in the same manner.

"Whatever you say, all I know is that you both love my company," he told them confidently.

"Well, if I disliked it, I wouldn't have followed you in your dormitory, again." She then frowned, "And that sounded strangely wrong."

"It is a good place to hang out after all," Sicilia agreed.

"I would've never guessed, though," Lena said. She might actually get used to spending some time here. "But seriously, why is there never anyone else here?" It was the Slytherin boys' dormitory after all, not only Scorpius and Damon's.

Damon shrugged, "During our first year, Scorpius was either strongly respected or despised by the other Slytherins. So, when we began to hang out here to have some peace, his followers listened to him when he told them to leave us alone, and the others just avoided coming here during the afternoon as we didn't gave in to their pressure when they tried to chase us out. There were still some other people since the older ones didn't really care about us, but the younger ones the next years just followed the others and it eventually became like that, I guess."

"I am from this house so I know what I'm talking about: most of its members can't think on their own during their first years here and just listen to whatever their families or friends tell them," Sicilia remarked. "Thankfully, some grow up and realize they actually have their own brain."

"Of course, we weren't part of those people," Damon grinned proudly.

"Only Sicilia was probably able to think on her own because she was smart, and you because you didn't listen to anyone and just did whatever you wanted," Lena teased him.

"Exactly, and I decided not to care about people's opinions," he agreed.

"That's actually one of your good sides," Sicilia commented neutrally.

"Wow, a compliment from you. I am deeply touched," Damon smirked, putting his hand on his chest.

She gave him a look, "You shouldn't be, it's not that special."

"Maybe not special, but definitely honest, so let me be happy about this," he smiled at her.

She looked taken aback by his words for a nanosecond, but quickly looked for a book in her bag and took it out, "As we just said, you just do whatever you want anyway."

Damon looked at Lena and told her with a smirk, "She's always shy like that."

Lena merely shook her head, smiling. Then she remembered to check what time it was, "Oh, I should go now, I promised the others I'd meet up with them in… a few minutes actually." She stood up and said with a smile while hurrying out, "See you two at dinner."

xxxxx

"Lena's late," Peter remarked as they were waiting for her.

Rose smirked teasingly, "Are you worried?"

He crossed his arms and looked away, "Of course not. I was just saying."

Albus chuckled, "Come on, she has the right to be five minutes late."

They then saw her run towards them. She stopped in front of them, panting, "Sorry for being late, I didn't think it was already the time for you to be done."

"Is spending time with Damon that fun?" Peter couldn't help asking with a hint of jealousy.

Lena smiled at him, "We were with Sicilia, too."

"What about Malfoy?" Rose asked without thinking.

Lena was about to answer, but she seemed to have seen something behind her best friend's shoulder.

"Concerned about me, Rose?" She heard his voice teasing her.

She turned and gave him a look, "Just curious. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Heading to my Quidditch practice. You see, we have an important game to play very soon, and I plan to win it," he smirked confidently, holding his broom with one hand.

"Too bad, because we're planning exactly the same thing," Albus dared him just as confidently.

Malfoy smiled at Albus, "I wasn't expecting anything less from you. I'll have to go now," his eyes wandered towards Rose as he added, "I'll be done a little before dinner," he then went back to looking at Albus, "So we'll probably bump into each other on our way to the Great Hall."

Albus nodded as Malfoy started to walk away from them with a "See you later, then."

That prick, really. Was he expecting her to go see him when he was done with his practice? It wasn't like she had a real answer yet anyway.

"I'm going to the library for a bit," she then told her friends.

Albus frowned, "Again? How can you find any more work to do?"

She shrugged, "I wanted to review my lessons for tomorrow." And the library was the one place she could always go to when she needed to have some peace.

Albus shook his head and sighed, smiling, "You'll never change."

Rose just shrugged before leaving them, "See you at dinner."

xxxxx

It was useless. She couldn't concentrate on her work at all. All she was doing was thinking about Malfoy. And yet, she still couldn't come to a definite answer.

She decided to go out of the library and take a little walk; maybe some fresh air will help her clear her mind.

After walking for some time, she saw a face she'd rather have forgotten about. She glared at Chace Hannigan as he was walking towards her, smiling as if they were friends.

"Hello, Rose," he greeted her.

She crossed her arms, and continued to glare at him, "What do you want?"

He sighed and smiled awkwardly, "I admit I deserve that kind of treatment."

"Then, why are you talking to me? And be quick, it's only because my parents taught me some values that I didn't ignore you, but even my patience has limits."

"I actually wanted to apologize, I realized I was being a complete prat and I am sorry for treating you like a trophy," he told her, trying to sound honest.

She gave him a look, "Well, it is a little late for that," she paused and went on, "But I still accept your apologies."

He smiled brightly, "Really?"

"That doesn't mean I forgive you, though. I still can't look at you without having the urge to punch you in the face. I'm used to have people being interested in me because of my family, but I can't stand gits like you."

He smiled awkwardly, "I definitely left a bad impression on you."

"You think?" She asked him sarcastically. She sighed, "Anyway, just tell me why you came to me already, or I'll just go."

"Well, it's kind of embarrassing but… I wanted to know if you were still single."

She couldn't believe him, "Why? Do you still hope you have a chance with me?"

"I wouldn't dare. But I heard some weird rumours and was wondering if they were true or not. I didn't believe them at first, but then I remembered the reason I got a slap from you."

"I slapped you because you were being a heinous git. Period," she told him straight, getting tired of his crap. "And were you hiding in a hole during all that time? Everyone knows already that rumour was completely false. Even if that's none of your business."

He smirked annoyingly, finally showing his true colours, "Like I said, I was just wondering, it actually hurt my pride a little to think that rumour might be true. If you didn't want to go out with me, how could you possibly like someone as filthy as him. And I can't imagine how disappointed your family would be if you–"

She took her wand out at once and put it threateningly on his throat – immediately shutting him up – her eyes full of steel and her voice full of disgust, "He may be an arrogant prick, but he's still a thousand times better than you, so you don't get the right to talk about him like that."

Even though he looked rather scared right now, that rat still managed to say, "Aren't you getting a little too worked up because of him? You just said you weren't even dating."

Her eyes widened and she slightly backed away, putting her wand down. He was right, she did get too worked up. She could say it was because of her profound disgust she felt towards that rat, but she just knew it wasn't only that. And she realized that maybe it wasn't the only reason she'd slapped him so hard the last time, either.

She then chuckled and looked up at Chace, who hadn't dared to move at all and was just frowning at her behaviour, "I would've never imagined _you_ would be the one helping me getting that answer."

He just frowned deeper, "What answer?"

She smiled, "Just know that, whatever it is, it made me forget how disgusting you are for now, so consider yourself lucky, as I decided to just ignore you. Just don't come and spit your nonsense at my face ever again." She then turned around and walked away calmly. But after a few steps she stopped, and took one last look at Chace, "Oh, and the next time you put my family at the same level as the judgemental little rat that you are, I will turn you into one. Understood?"

She saw him gulp, and utter, "Understood."

She grinned, "Great. Have a nice day, then." She finally walked away, feeling great.

When she was out of sight, Chace Hannigan could finally breathe normally again. She was even scarier than her cousins, so why the hell did they even feel the need to protect her in the first place? And she was supposed to be the nicest one. Were they nice as long as you didn't piss them off, or were they just plain sociopaths? He shook his head, deciding not to try to understand that crazy family of theirs. He just knew one thing: he'd definitely not bother or even talk to one of them again.

xxxxx

Rose was now patiently waiting for Malfoy to come out of his Quidditch practice, since she knew he should be finished any time soon now. And she was right, as only a few minutes later, she saw them walk out.

It only took a few seconds for Malfoy to notice her, while the others looked totally oblivious or just didn't really care. Knowing he was watching her, she calmly walked into the empty classroom where he'd led her last time.

A few seconds later, he came in and smirked at her while closing the door, "What a pleasant surprise to have you waiting for me. I dropped a hint for you before, but I didn't think you'd actually listen to me. Anyway, since we're here, I get that you finally found your answer."

She leaned a little on the table behind her, smiling, "I did, in the strangest way ever too."

He raised his eyebrows, and started to walk closer, "You'll tell me the details later, right now I'm more interested in hearing the answer itself."

Once he was close enough, she grasped his robes and suddenly pulled him towards her, kissing him after having resisted doing it for days. Like the other times, he immediately responded. Only this time, she didn't feel the need to stop him at all. It felt so great not to have to hold back anymore.

When they finally broke the kiss, he smirked at her, "I still didn't hear anything, you know."

She chuckled, "Wasn't I clear enough?"

He tilted his head, teasing her, "Not really."

She chuckled, "Maybe I like you, happy now?"

He gave her a look, "_Maybe?_"

She rolled her eyes, amused, and said, "Fine, probably."

He feigned thinking about it and smirked while putting his hands around her waist, "That's good enough for now, I guess."

She put her hands around his neck and said, "Well, it is a huge step for me you know."

"I know, so I suggest we stop talking now," he told her before kissing her again. And for once, she couldn't agree more with him.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

Rose was waiting in the empty classroom in which Scorpius had dragged her several times. She'd discovered that it was only used for lessons only in the morning.

Scorpius then entered the room, smiling, "Hey."

Rose approached him, wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss, "Hey."

She then let go of him and used a spell to lock the door in case someone would try to go in. She hardly had the time to do that before Scorpius started kissing her again.

It had been a few days since Rose finally admitted her feelings for him, and since then they'd meet up here every evening. They didn't out their relationship yet, and it was the only time of the day they could be truly together without being discovered.

"It's becoming harder to control myself out there, you know," he told her between two kisses.

"I know, for me too, but we only have to wait a few more days, our Quidditch match against each other is this Saturday," she managed to say while Scorpius was giving her kissed on her neck.

He sighed, put his forehead against hers and asked half-jokingly, "Why did we agree on that again?"

She smiled, "Because that kind of news might affect the teamwork of both our teams, and not to say that the school would go crazy. The false rumour made enough noise, imagine when we'll tell them we're really dating. And do you really want to go in the air with two Potters knowing you're their little cousin's new boyfriend?"

He raised his eyebrows and smirked, "So, I'm your boyfriend?"

She gave him a playful look, "Obviously. I already told you we wouldn't be mere snogmates."

He chuckled at the word she used once again, "Right." He then put his hands around her waist and pulled her a little closer, "But it still feels good to hear you say it." He then added, "And did you forget that one of the Potters is a close friend of mine?"

She chuckled, "I did not, and imagine how he'll react when he'll discover that you're snogging his little cousin behind his back."

"Hey, you're the one who didn't want to tell him right away," he pointed out.

"Well, I needed some time to get used to this myself before telling him, and again. And now I can't just bring myself to blurt that out to him," she said with a hint of embarrassment. "So I'll just let him notice something on his own and then tell him so that he wouldn't be too surprised."

"Merlin, girls think really too much," he joked. "But at least you're not ashamed or anything right?" He still asked to make sure.

She smiled and shook her head, "Of course not. I already told Lena, after all. It's just that Albus and Peter are too slow to notice anything, and that makes it harder. I'm pretty sure they still think we barely talk to each other out of politeness."

Scorpius chuckled, "You're probably right. Let's be friendlier with each other around them, then. They'll eventually catch up with the situation." He raised his eyebrows suggestively while saying this.

She laughed and gently pushed him away, "That would also mean revealing our relationship to the whole school."

"Fine, fine. I won't complain anymore and just bear with it a few more days," he gave in. "You're lucky I'm a very patient man."

She scoffed jokingly, "Right."

"After everything you've put me through before finally accepting to be with me, can you really think like that?" He raised his eyebrow at her, smirking playfully.

"Ok, you may have a point here," she admitted. "Even though you also put me through quite a lot, you messed up my mind making me appreciate you and everything," she still pointed out.

He smirked seductively and approached slowly, "Is it a bad thing?"

She smiled playfully, "I'm not sure yet."

He chuckled and shook his head, putting his hands around her waist, "You, dear Rose Weasley, are such a piece of work. I hope you at least realize that."

She put her arms around his neck, smiling, "I do. That's why I'll help you a little." She then kissed him.

xxxxx

Albus, Peter and Lena were hanging out in their common room, sitting in front of the fire, when Loann Lebron came to talk to them.

"Hey, do you know where Rose is?"

Albus shrugged, "Probably at the library."

Loann shook his head, "I just came from the library and she wasn't there."

Peter looked surprised, "Does that mean she has somewhere else to go on her own?"

Lena hit his arm with the back of her hand, "Idiot, she has a life too, you know."

"Do you perhaps know something, Lena?" Albus then asked.

Lena realized she was about to make a mistake, and just shook her head, "I was just saying she can go somewhere else without us. Why does she always have to be in the library when she's not here?"

"Because that's all she always does," Peter pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Apparently not," Loann, whom the others had already forgotten about, remarked with a shrug. "Anyway, if you see her, please tell her I'm looking for her."

Lena smiled at him, "We will."

He smiled back politely at her, "Thanks." He then left them to join Tyler and Sylvia.

"Now I'm curious," Peter suddenly declared, looking as if he was thinking really hard right now.

"Just ask her when she comes back, there's no need for you to get hurt," Albus teased.

Peter frowned, "Why would I get hurt?"

"Exactly," Albus smirked.

Lena shook her head, holding back a laugh.

He finally seemed to catch on, and looked offended, "Hey!" He then looked at Lena, "Shouldn't you help me?"

"Sorry, I was already too busy trying not to help _him_," she joked, pointing her chin at Albus. "Which was my way of supporting you, actually."

"Hey, what did I miss?" A girl's voice came out from behind Lena. When the brunette turned her head, she saw her best friend smiling at them.

"Doesn't matter," Peter quickly answered, "The real question is, where were you just now? We know you weren't at the library!"

"I never told you I was," she simply replied.

"So, where were you?" Peter looked like he was dying of curiosity.

"In a classroom that's usually empty."

"Now, I'm curious too," Albus spoke up. "What could you be doing in an empty classroom on your own?"

Rose looked at her cousin and explained calmly, "I wasn't alone. Malfoy was with me."

Peter's frown deepened, while Albus seemed to finally catch on as he noticed Rose's hair was a little messy. He gasped and asked in a low voice, "Don't tell me you two _duelled_?"

Lena sighed mentally. She was wrong, he did not get it at all. Boys.

Rose shook her head slightly, and gave him a look, "Of course not. Who are you taking me for?"

"But why's your hair messy then?" He then asked, not taking the most obvious answer into consideration.

"Oh that?" She looked at it nonchalantly and fixed the few rebellious strings, and then said while looking dead serious, "Probably because we were doing something completely opposite as fighting."

Albus and Peter's eyes automatically widened, and Peter stood up and yelled, "You mean you two–"

Lena put her hand on his mouth to shut him up, "Don't go yelling unnecessary things." But she was a little surprised by Rose's behaviour, too.

Peter seemed to have calmed down as he nodded slowly. She let him go and they both sat again.

Albus shook his head, smiling at Peter, "And you're getting tricked again." He then looked at Rose, "Right?"

Rose just looked at him and chuckled, "You both jumped into it." She then sat next to Lena and said, "We were just working on a potion, that's all."

"You scared me, I was thinking we were in an alternate dimension or something," Peter told her.

Lena rolled her eyes, "You're always exaggerating things."

"But I'm surprised you can joke like that. Before just the thought of being friends with him would make you shudder," Albus commented.

"We're on better terms now. He's not that bad in the end," she replied simply.

'On better terms' sure is a euphemism, Lena thought.

Albus smiled, "Glad to hear you say that."

"Ah right," Peter seemed to remember something and told Rose, "Loann was looking for you earlier."

"Loann? Why?"

He shrugged, "Don't know." He then smirked mischievously, "Maybe he hasn't given up on you yet."

Rose shook her head, "Stop it, we're just friends now."

"But he may want to change that," he pointed out.

"I don't get why you dumped him, though. He's a fairly good lad," Albus commented, but quickly added nonchalantly, "Then again, you've always had bad taste in men."

"I just don't feel that way about him," she explained simply, before protesting, "And what's wrong with my taste?"

"I don't know, you just seem to always choose the ones I don't really like," he told her.

"Are you sure you just didn't like them _because_ I was dating them?" She pointed out. "Seriously, sometimes I wonder if Dad didn't hire you as his substitute in Hogwarts."

Lena chuckled, "It's true that you're a little too overprotective, Albus."

He gave them a look, "Sorry to worry about my little cousin. Even though I know it's useless as she'll never listen to me and just do whatever she wants."

"Of course I do," she said matter-of-factly. "It's not as if you were a love expert or anything. Don't get cocky just because you've finally had a girlfriend for more than three months."

"As if you can talk, yours never lasted long either," he retorted.

"It lasted more than six months with Henry," she pointed out.

"You two, is this some kind of competition or what?" Lena remarked.

"Let them be, it's fun," Peter told her while eating some popcorn.

Lena sighed at him, "Of course you'd know _this_ spell."

Her boyfriend just shrugged while smiling innocently and stuffing some popcorn into his mouth.

"Lena's right, let's stop bickering over something so trivial," Rose said.

"Well, I just hope you'll find someone good for you, just like I did," Albus told her with a small smile.

Lena and Rose then shared a look and went to tease him.

Rose pinched his cheeks and said, "Our Albus is in love, so cute!"

"He's head over heels," Lena added.

"Stop it," Albus protested shyly, "Peter, help me a little here."

Peter just shrugged again and kept eating, "Sorry, I already have my hands full."

xxxxx

Sicilia was trying to focus on the story she was reading, but she couldn't help rolling her eyes from time to time at Damon's shameless flirting, and at that girl's squeaking over him. Right next to her.

"By the way, I'm falling behind in our Potions class, and my stubborn partner won't help me," Malicia Meyer complained with a touch of disdain for her partner while adding, "Gryffindors." And then went back to being peachy and asked Damon, "So, could we study together this weekend?"

Sicilia could hear his smirk as he told her in a not-so-low voice, "I'll tell you a secret, I am not really good at Potions, either."

Malicia answered in the same manner, "I'll tell you a secret, I don't really want to study."

And Sicilia rolled her eyes again. Those girls were ever more shameless than that playboy.

Damon chuckled, "I had figured that much."

"So?" She asked, expecting.

"As much as tempting this proposition is, I am sorry but I have to refuse," he told her.

Sicilia slightly shook her head. As always, he liked the game more than the prize.

Malicia didn't sound too pleased to hear that, "Why? You do realize a lot of people would beg me for just an hour with me."

'_Tart,'_ Sicilia thought.

Damon put his hand on her arm in a comforting way, "I know, I know. And I am really honoured. But my answer is still no."

"I don't get you. You're always with girls, but you never seem to date anyone anymore."

"What can I say? That's who I am. I'm a hunter, but not a killer. The kind who catches the prey, and then just lets it go."

"What if the prey doesn't want to be let go?"

Sicilia was almost surprised that girl got the metaphor. But the fact that being compared to a mere prey wasn't bothering her at all kept her from raising even a little in Sicilia's esteem.

"I still wouldn't want to eat it," he told her.

Malicia sighed, apparently giving up, "Fine, I get it. Too bad, I'm sure we would've had a lot of fun together."

"I don't doubt it," he told her with another flirtatious smirk.

"See you around, Stones," she said before leaving the common room.

Damon then crashed on the couch, right next to Sicilia, and let out a sigh, "Being popular is so tiring."

"If you don't want to waste your time with these kind of conversations, why don't you just stop leading them on?" Sicilia asked neutrally, still no looking at him.

"Because that wouldn't be fun."

"Then, why don't you date one of them? You never had problems with 'eating the prey' before, after all."

He shrugged, "I grew tired of those shallow relationships, I guess."

She gave him a look, "You mean you want to be serious with a girl, now?"

"Is it that unbelievable?"

Sicilia just looked at him, and said quietly, "She really changed you." She already knew that, but she didn't know it was to that extent.

Damon frowned, "Who you're talking about?"

"You know who I'm talking about," she told him knowingly. "She's the reason you want to be serious. Because she's probably the first one you weren't just playing around with." She's the first one he considered worthy of caring about.

He seemed to consider what she said before replying, "Well, if you think about it, she's not the first one."

Sicilia frowned, "There's someone else?" She should've noticed it if there was someone else. She always noticed everything. No one could really surprise her.

He looked at her with a grin, "You. As far as I now, I never played around with you."

She gave him a deadpan look, "Because you never considered me as a woman, that's different."

"What should I see you as, then? A man?" He asked her jokingly.

She sighed, "I mean, you never even tried to flirt with me. We're platonic."

He chuckled and shook his head, "Oh Sicilia, I thought you understood people better than anyone." She frowned as he added with a smirk, approaching his face from hers, "I am a man. I can't be platonic with a girl who's single. Unless she's ugly. And you certainly aren't."

Then, why has he never tried anything with her? She wondered silently.

He answered her without knowing, "But we're friends since we're ten. I couldn't just start to flirt with you, even as a joke." He then smirked flirtatiously, "Why, did you want me to?"

She just stared at him, deadpan, "What do you think?"

He leaned back a little, chuckling, "Of course you didn't. I sometimes even wonder if you're interested in men at all."

"I am," she told him.

He looked surprised by her sudden answer, and then smirked, "You never let it show, then." He then sighed, looking in front of him, "But then again, you barely ever show anything."

"As I said, you just have to ask, and I'll answer," she replied. If only he just asked her, she'll answer truthfully. If only he wanted to know, she'll let him know. But that wasn't the case yet.

Before Damon could say something, they heard someone declare happily, "I'm back." He let himself drop on the couch his hands already behind his head.

"You sure look cheerful these days," Damon remarked.

Scorpius hadn't said anything, but Sicilia knew something happened – and was still happening – between him and Rose. She'd witnessed some furtive smiles and things like that between the two of them, and Scorpius just suddenly started to disappear every evening. It wasn't hard to understand something was going on. Apparently, Damon hadn't caught up yet, though.

"I'm just excited about our match against Gryffindor," he told him with a grin.

Damon gave him a look, "Are you sure it's not related to Rose, and your disappearing who knows where every evening?"

That was more like it. It was strange of him not to suspect anything.

"These things are connected, actually." He didn't seem the bit surprised to have been discovered. But he probably wasn't really hiding it, either.

"So, you _are_ meeting her every evening," Damon tried to confirm.

Scorpius looked at him and said simply, "Yes."

"If you were going to tell us that easily, why didn't you tell us in the first place?" Damon exclaimed.

Scorpius merely shrugged, "I just thought you'd put two and two together on your own. Which you did." He then added with a little smile, "Plus, I didn't want to brag."

Sicilia chuckled, "You're bragging right now."

"Let him be, after all he earned the right to brag a little," Damon told her. He then switched his attention back to his best friend, "But I still don't get why that's connected to your Quidditch match."

"There's just something," he answered vaguely.

"Ah, that lad's so secretive, seriously," Damon complained. "Are we the only ones to know by the way?"

Scorpius shook his head, "Rose told Lena."

Damon looked betrayed, "And she told me she didn't know anything."

Scorpius gave him a look, "You almost reminded me of that Petunia girl just now."

Sicilia couldn't help chuckling at that.

"Sorry not to be pleased that two of my closest friends didn't tell me something like that," he retorted.

"Scorpius, go easy on Damon, she must feel betrayed," Sicilia teased.

Scorpius laughed out loud, while Damon just looked indifferent. He shrugged and said, "I don't care, I'm confident in my manliness enough not to be bothered by that kind of comments."

"Well, to be fair, Rose told her not to tell anyone, so she was just being a good friend," Scorpius explained once he was done laughing.

"Why?" Sicilia asked. Was she afraid of what people might think? But she never seemed to really care about things like that…

Scorpius shrugged and leaned back nonchalantly, "Something about the wellbeing of the teamwork of both our teams I think. But I'm sure it's taken so long for her to admit it to herself, it's still hard for her to admit it to other people."

"I guess that's better for you too. Even though you're Albus' friend, everyone knows how protective the Potters can be towards the girls in their family, and that would make two of them on the field against you," Damon nodded thoughtfully.

Scorpius chuckled, "She said that, too."

"But are you really ok with this?" Sicilia asked to be sure.

He nodded, "Yes. She told Lena already after all. The only hard part is to try to act normal in public, but I'll just be patient for a little while."

"Wow, Scorpius Malfoy's a changed man," Damon suddenly declared theatrically, "Changed by love."

Scorpius hit him jokingly, "Shut up."

Sicilia smiled, watching her two friends bicker. She'd realized that, in fact, the three of them had changed since the beginning of the school year.

xxxxx

The next day, Albus and Scorpius had a free hour at the same time, and were hanging out outside near the fountain.

"So, how's your practice going?" Scorpius asked Albus

Albus smirked, "Great. We're very confident. And yours?"

Scorpius smirked in the same manner, "Same. I bet it's going to be a great match."

"And you better be prepared for that, Malfoy, because we're going all out for this," they suddenly heard Rose say as she was walking towards them. She smiled arrogantly as she sat next to the Slytherin, "And we are going to win for sure."

Albus frowned slightly. She just purposely sat next to Scorpius even though she totally could've sat next to him instead. Well, she did say they were getting along now.

Scorpius smiled back at her, just as arrogantly, "I wouldn't be so sure about that, my dear Rose. Especially if you underestimate my team."

"What are you doing here, by the way?" Albus suddenly asked. "I thought you were studying with Lena."

Rose looked at him as she explained, "That's what we'd planned, but she promised to teach Damon how to play basketball, and I am doing enough sports lately, so I just let them go on their own."

"Damon playing a Muggle sport? That should be a funny picture," Scorpius smirked at the idea.

"Do you want to go, then?" Rose asked him. "I didn't go because I didn't want to just stand there alone and watch them, but if you're coming too that's ok."

Albus blinked. Did she really just invite Scorpius to spend some time with her? They were getting along just fine, indeed. He totally missed an episode there.

Scorpius turned his head and asked Albus, "Do you want to go?"

"Why not. It'll always be more fun than just sitting here," he agreed.

Rose smiled and stood up, "Let's go then."

As they were walking, Albus suddenly remembered something, "Ah right, Rose. Why Loann was searching for you yesterday? You two talked for quite long time." He then smirked and teased her, "Is he still interested in you?"

Scorpius then scoffed before Rose could answer, "Poor lad, doesn't know when to stop."

Rose slightly hit his arm with the back of her hand, "Don't be so mean. It's not even like that." She then looked at Albus and said, "He just wanted some help for a text we had to study on our Ancient Runes class."

"Don't know. Sounds like a pretext to talk to you," Scorpius remarked.

"I was very clear when I told me I didn't see him like that. It's not like I'll change my mind because we chat together from time to time," she told him succinctly.

"That doesn't mean he stopped trying. Hence my feeling sorry for him, as I'm a thoughtful person," Scorpius smirked.

She raised her eyebrow at him, obviously not believing a word he said, "Of course you are."

Albus frowned while listening to their conversation, but kept silent.

When they finally arrived where Lena and Damon were playing, they saw Damon throw the ball right into the basket.

"Seriously, even I can't believe my awesomeness," he bragged.

Lena just shook her head, "Easy boy, shooting is simple when you don't have any opponent. Let's try with me defending the basket now."

Damon made a sign telling her to come, confident, "Bring it on, girl."

"If I were you, I wouldn't be so arrogant. Lena's really good at playing basketball," Rose suddenly exclaimed, making their presence known to their two friends.

"You're joining us in the end?" Lena asked with a smile.

"No thanks. We're just watching," Rose told her.

"I had to see that," Scorpius smirked.

"Witness how effortlessly good I am, then," Damon bragged once again.

Lena threw the ball in his chest while he wasn't looking, and smirked at the shocked look on his face as he uttered, "Ouch."

"Stop showing off and start playing," she merely said.

Albus, Rose and Scorpius sat on a bench nearby. This time, Albus was in the middle. Why was he paying so much attention to them, anyway? Was it because of what Rose had said yesterday? He hadn't believed her anyway, and she already admitted it was a joke. How could it be true? Rose and Malfoy? Right. Impossible.

"Are you ok Albus? You look strange," Rose's face suddenly appeared in front of his.

He shook his head, "I'm fine."

"I hope you're not sick, or else it won't be fun to win against you," Scorpius teased him.

Rose moved her arm in front of Albus to reach and hit Scorpius' arm, "Look at who's arrogant now."

He grasped her hand before she could remove it, raised his eyebrows and smirked at her, "So what? You know very well I'm an arrogant prick."

Rose scoffed, but didn't move. The two of them were just staring at each other.

Why did Albus feel like they were in their own world? And why was he stuck between them now? He moved Rose's wrist from Scorpius' grip, "Stop fighting you two. I thought you were getting along."

Rose went back to her seat, and Scorpius shrugged nonchalantly, "We are getting along just fine, don't worry." He told Albus, but was staring at Rose instead.

Albus frowned, suspicious, "You two are acting strange."

"But that would mean we once acted normal with each other," Scorpius pointed out. "And I don't believe we ever did."

"It depends," Rose added, as if she was thinking about it, and then looked at Albus, "Define what's not strange for us."

Albus was getting lost. Were they teaming up to play a prank on him and confuse him right now? He shook his head, "I don't know. Fighting, and calling one another names, and glaring at each other?"

"But we're still doing that. You even told us to stop just a few seconds ago," Rose pointed out.

He knew she was right. He knew it, but it didn't feel like she was right. They were doing all these things, but the feeling was totally different. And he couldn't help thinking something was strange. But he decided to just let it go. It was impossible after all. At most, they became kind of friends, that was all.

He then sighed, "You're right. I guess I'm just not used to you two being friendly with each other."

"Friendly wouldn't be the term I'd use, though," Scorpius thought out loud.

Before Albus could reply something, Rose slightly tapped his arm, "Now, let's just focus on their game. Damon is being _crushed_."

Albus finally paid attention to Damon and Lena, and saw that Rose was right. Damon couldn't even get the ball for more than five seconds.

Scorpius began to tease his best friend, "Look at how awesome you are now."

"Shut up, Scorp'," Damon exclaimed, frustrated, still trying to mark at least one point.

"I told you she was _really_ good at this," Rose shouted, smiling.

Just as she said that, Lena shot the ball right into the basket one more time, and smirked at Damon, "I originally planned to go easy on you, but I couldn't stand you being so arrogant, sorry," she shrugged with a smile, not being sorry at all.

They spent the rest of the hour watching them, teasing Damon, and cheering for Lena. Which really was more fun than just sitting and doing nothing.

xxxxx

Later, Albus, Peter, Rose and Lena were on their way to the Great Hall to have dinner.

"Rose, pleaaase," Peter was pleading since at least five minutes.

"I said no, Peter," she told him firmly.

"That's why I'm asking until you tell me yes," he grinned.

She rolled her eyes, "I won't do all the work for you and your useless partner just because you two were too lazy to start on time."

"Not all the work, but help a little. Please, please, pretty please. You did one hell of a job on your presentation, and you know we're not actually in the good books of Professor Hazebrown right now."

While Peter and Rose were arguing, Albus and Lena were walking a little behind them.

Lena shook her head, "Have I the right to deny being in any kind of relationship with him when I'm in public?"

Albus chuckled, "I'm not sure he'd let you the chance to do so." He then decided it was his chance to ask her, now that Rose wasn't listening, "Hey, it's totally random, but I was wondering, don't you think Rose and Scorpius are acting kind of strange lately?"

"I stopped trying to understand their relationship long ago, so I don't really know," she told him with a shrug. "Why?"

"I just get the feeling something happened, but I can't put my finger on what," he tried to explain.

"Why don't you ask them, then?"

"I did. They asked me what I considered normal for them and eluded the question while I was confused."

"Sorry, but I really can't help you on that one," Lena apologized, "But just out of curiosity, what do you think happened?"

He laughed awkwardly, "You're going to think I'm insane, and that's probably the fault of her little joke from yesterday, but I was thinking they looked _a lot_ closer than before, if you know what I mean." He then quickly looked at her and added, "Crazy, right?"

Lena's reaction was not the one he'd expected. She simply shrugged, "Not that much, I think."

He frowned, "What? You're suspecting something like that too?"

"I'm not suspecting anything," she clarified, "But looking at how everyone at Hogwarts believed the rumours about the two of them, I don't think this theory is that crazy."

She had a point there. At least, he was as sane as the majority of Hogwarts. Not sure if it meant anything good, but still.

"FINE!" They suddenly heard Rose yell, obviously fed up with Peter's whining. She let out a heavy sigh while massaging her temps, "I'll help you for that bloody presentation, but I'll only review it, don't expect me to do all the work. Now, bug off."

Peter ginned brightly and hugged her, "Thank you, you're my saviour!"

"Let's not be too dramatic, shall we?" She told him, looking amused.

He then let her go and exclaimed, "Let's go eat now!"

Albus and Lena joined Rose and watched their friend happily heading towards the Great Hall.

"What a child," Lena said with a smile before following him, Albus and Rose walking next to her.

xxxxx

The next day, Albus couldn't focus on the potion to make at all, too busy watching her little cousin and his second male best friend interact.

Something was definitely going on. They were teasing each other, and bickering. Yes, they always did that. But it was more taunting than teasing, and more fighting than bickering. It was totally different. They were even _smiling_ at each other, for Merlin's sake.

Albus had become used to seeing his little cousin dating boys, and knew very well he couldn't say anything as they were the same age and he knew how it was like. But thinking that she and Malfoy could be like that somehow bothered him. He could dislike her previous boyfriends as much as he wanted or even just not be around when they'd be together as he never was really friends with them, but he became really close to Scorpius.

He was so relieved when he noticed Peter had fallen in love for Lena, since that meant he wouldn't fall for Rose, and that he wouldn't have to watch his two best friends hugging and kissing. And he thought he'd never have to worry about that issue when it came to Scorpius. Apparently, he was wrong.

Or maybe he was just being paranoid, and they were just friends. The thing was, the more he was watching them, the less he could believe that they were just friends.

But he couldn't bring himself to ask them, "Are you two dating?" or "Do you like Rose/Malfoy?" Seriously, how ridiculous would he sound while saying those words out loud?

Still, if he doesn't clear this up soon, he'll go insane. He can't look at Rose or Malfoy without having those disturbing thoughts now, and he's with them _a lot_. Well, at least that doesn't apply when they're at their Quidditch practice. Talking about that, he should be focusing more on their upcoming match instead of... whatever that is.

"Hey Potter, focus a little," Jonah Keller, who was his Potions partner, told him. The Slytherin student was far from being the most hard-working person Albus knew, but he was good at doing just what was needed to pass his classes. Which was great, since Albus was kind of like that, too.

Albus just looked at him, "Ah, yes."

Jonah shook his head, "Why are you dozing off like that?"

Albus smiled guiltily, scratching the back of his head, "Sorry, I must be a little tired."

"That's fine, but at least pay attention when we put ingredients in," his partner just nodded before going back to working on their potion, but still added with a little smirk, "And just so you know, if we blow something up and anger Professor Hazebrown just like these two idiots over there," he pointed his chin at Peter and Timmy, "it's all on you."

Albus chuckled, "Of course." He added confidently, "But we won't."

Jonah smirked, "I prefer that. Stay determined like that, and don't make me feel like I'm sitting next to a zombie anymore."

"At least I don't stink like one, that would be more inconvenient," Albus joked.

Jonah chuckled and added jokingly, "But you're starting to have the same greyish skin colour."

"I am not _that_ tired, yet," Albus refuted, trying hard to ignore Rose and Scorpius, who were now whispering to each other. Of course, he couldn't hear a word of what they were saying, but maybe that was better.

Scorpius leaned a little towards Rose and said quietly while chopping the daisy roots, "Is it me, or is Albus staring at us since the beginning of the lesson?"

Rose cast a discreet sideways look at her cousin before answering just as quietly, "I also had that feeling."

He added the roots to the potion, "Do you think he found out?"

She shook her head, "Nope, but Lena told me he's had his suspicions since my little 'joke' from last time." She took the bowl with five hairy caterpillars in it and poured them into the cauldron.

"And you were the one who didn't want to tell them," he teased her as he added wormwood in their preparation.

She simply shrugged as she was stirring vigorously, "I just thought I could pave the way a little already, and spare them a too big of a shock. It did not work for Peter, though."

Scorpius scoffed tauntingly, while focussing on juicing four leeches and adding them to the potion, "Of course not, it's Crawford you're talking about."

Rose wanted to defend her friend, but after reflexion, she could only tilt her head and agree as she was now stirring slowly, "Right, he's not exactly good at understanding this kind of things."

"Or at understanding anything at all," Scorpius pointed out.

"Remember you're talking about one of my best friends," she warned him.

He smirked, "Remember that I don't do favouritism. There has to be someone who speaks the harsh truth."

She gave him a look, "And that would be you?" She then looked briefly at their book, "There's only a splash of cowbane left to add."

"Of course," he said matter-of-factly while putting the last ingredient into the cauldron.

"Weird, because from my point of view, you're just being mean and denigrating anyone you don't like," she said with a teasing smirk, still stirring slowly.

"You two are quite talkative today," they heard Miss Hazebrown gently rebuke them as she was approaching them, "You should focus more on your potion, it isn't a simple one."

Rose smiled confidently, "We are focused, Professor. We just finished putting all the ingredients in it."

"Really?" Professor Hazebrown looked a little suspicious, and checked herself how their preparation was doing. She then nodded appreciatively, "I have to admit you did quite well. I guess I can't say anything, then."

Rose and Scorpius exchanged a smile as Professor Hazebrown left them to go check on the other students' potions.

"We do have great teamwork, don't we?" Scorpius asked her with a smirk.

"And teamwork is all we're going to have if you keep badmouthing my friends," she smirked back.

He sighed and nodded slowly, "Fine then, I was tired of sneaking out every evening anyway."

She gasped and hit him jokingly, "Prick."

He crossed his arms and leaned a little towards her, whispering, "If you keep acting like that, our little relationship will be out sooner than planned you know."

"What relationship? I thought we'd just put an end to it," she teased him. They were playing a mental tug-of-war right now, and they were at equal strength.

He raised his eyebrow, chuckling, "If we weren't in the middle of a lesson, I would've gladly proven you wrong." He then leaned back before their behaviour became too suspicious, and looked at the potion, "I think it's ready. Do you want to be the one giving the final touch to it?"

She merely took out her wand and waved it over the cauldron as an answer.

xxxxx

After dinner, Albus had joined Suzy and they were taking a walk outside since it wasn't too cold. Suzy was telling him about her day, but he wasn't really listening.

"…and that's when a polar bear attacked Professor Hobbes, but he's fine since the bear couldn't bear the heat and went back to its magically air-conditioned igloo."

Albus nodded absentmindedly, but then frowned and looked at her, "Wait, what?"

She smiled, "At least you heard that."

He felt embarrassed, and said, "Sorry."

"Don't worry," she said with a smile before looking worried, "But you've been acting strange for some time now, what's going on?"

He shook his head, "Nothing serious, I promise."

"Then, what?" She insisted gently.

He hesitated, but shook his head again, "You'll make fun of me for being bothered by something like that."

"I won't laugh," she swore.

After a few seconds, he decided to finally tell her, "Fine. I've been having the really disturbing feeling that Rose and Scorpius became closer these days. _Really_ close," he implied.

Suzy looked surprised for a second, probably not expecting that kind of answer, and then chuckled, "Ah, so that's what's been bothering you?" She laughed slightly again.

"Hey, you said you wouldn't laugh," he complained.

She smiled at him, "Sorry, I'm just relieved it's just that."

"Just that?" He exclaimed before he knew what he was doing, "What if my suspicions are true? It's Scorpius and _Rose_. It would be so awkward to see them together."

She shook her head, amused, "And here you go again, acting all big brotherly. You're cute."

He calmed down and crossed his arms, embarrassed, "I'm not _cute_."

"Yes, you are." She insisted, teasing him.

He said nothing and began to walk again, and heard Suzy exclaim cutely, "Ah, don't pout." He stopped and waited for her. She grinned when she saw she'd won, ran to him and wrapped her left arm around his right one, and they kept walking in silence.

A few seconds later, Suzy said, "But you know, you shouldn't worry too much about that. You're always the first one to say that Scorpius is actually a great person, you should be happy Rose chose him if she really did."

He made a face, "He is a great friend, but haven't you ever seen him with girls? He's a real prick to his girlfriends."

Suzy finally seemed to understand, "So, that's what's bothering you. It's not only because it'd be awkward, but because you're worried about your little cousin. But Rose is completely different from his previous girlfriends. She's strong and smart, and is certainly not the kind to date without being serious."

He frowned, "That doesn't help at all. If she's serious, that means she can get hurt."

"You don't even know if they're really like that anyway. And if they are, well Rose has never had any problems giving Scorpius a lesson when he deserves it." She then thought about it and added, "Or even when he doesn't."

Albus chuckled, finally smiling a little, "You're right."

She grinned, "See? Now stop worrying about that, you have to be relaxed and sleep well tonight if you want to be in good shape for your big match of tomorrow."

"Yes, Ma'am," he joked, moving his arm and putting it around her shoulders, holding her closer to him.

xxxxx

"Welcome everyone to today's Quidditch game, which is Gryffindor versus Slytherin! The two teams finally arrived on the field. And looking at them, I can already tell you it's going to be the match of the year!" Finn McCarthy commented with excitement.

Everyone was already flying, getting to their positions. Only Albus, Rose and Scorpius were still on the ground.

Rose grinned at the two of them, "Come on boys, let's go!" She was the first one of them to fly to her position.

Albus smiled at Scorpius, "Ready, Malfoy?"

He smirked back, "You bet!"

At that, they both joined the rest of the players in the air. A few seconds later, the balls were released and the game finally began.

Scorpius was flying around, trying to find where the Snitch was. It had been already some time since the game began, and it still was nowhere to be found. The two teams were currently tied at 40-40.

"And Rose Weasley stopped another ball perfectly! As expected, she never disappoints!" Finn exclaimed. And he was right. The two teams may be tied, but their team had attacked a lot more, and still couldn't score more points than the Gryffindor team.

Albus then appeared next to him, smiling proudly while looking at Rose, "She's especially on a roll today. Guess your team will have to try harder."

Scorpius smirked back, "Don't worry, it's still the warm-up."

Then, Scorpius saw the Snitch on his right, and judging by his face, Albus had seen it as well. They both rushed towards it, but of course it wouldn't be that easy. The Snitch flew away at high speed, the two seekers already chasing it.

Albus was closer when it appeared near them, so he had a slight advantage, but Scorpius was speeding up as much as he could and was starting to catch up with him.

"Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy are finally having their showdown! They're shoulder against shoulder, but it seems that Scorpius Malfoy is slowly starting to take the advantage."

Albus then sped up too.

"Wait! Now it's Albus Potter who's a tiny bit ahead. What a tight match!"

Scorpius will certainly not give up like that and pushed even more his speed. The Snitch was really close now. And he smirked as he knew he had longer arms than Albus, so even being at the same speed would be enough as long as the Snitch was within his reach.

"They're getting closer and closer from the Snitch. Only a few centimetres left between them and the Golden Snitch!"

They were both reaching out their hands, desperately trying to get the little ball first, when Scorpius heard something that made him completely forget about the damn Snitch. He suddenly changed his direction and sped on his right. Between everyone's cheering, and Finn's voice, he'd heard someone scream. And he'd directly recognized Rose's voice.

"How awful! Rose Weasley's broom seems to have suddenly broken and she's falling right to the ground! Oh, but Scorpius Malfoy is speeding up towards her, and Albus Potter is right behind him! Will they make it in time?"

Scorpius couldn't think of anything else. He was going as fast as he could, yelling from the top of his lungs, "Don't you dare reach the ground before I come and get you, Rose Weasley!"

She was dangerously getting closer to the ground, but Scorpius was sure he could make it in time. Because he _had_ to make it in time. He was almost there. It was a matter of seconds before he could reach her, but also before she would hit the ground.

He pushed its broom to its maximum as he never did. Rose was about to hit the ground when he finally caught her in his arms, closed his eyes and turned their bodies so that he would be the one touching the ground.

"Incredible! Scorpius Malfoy caught Rose Weasley just in time, but now he's the one taking the hit."

He felt his back burning as he was sliding against the ground for a few meters. But he didn't care. Once they'd stopped moving, he opened his eyes and touched Rose's hair, hoping she wasn't hurt.

"Rose, are you ok?" He asked her, his voice full of worry.

"Albus Potter has landed safely next to them. Let's hope everyone's ok."

"Rose! Scorpius!" Scorpius heard his friend shout.

She mumbled something that sounded like a yes against his chest and raised her head, "You?" He saw her eyes widened before he could answer and she immediately moved away, releasing him from her weight. She was now on her knees next to him, "Scorpius, you…" She had tears in her eyes as she was looking for bruises on his chest and arms.

He grasped her hand and looked right into her eyes, "I'm fine." He then smiled slightly, "As long as you're fine, I also am."

He then felt two hands trying to move him up. "We have to get him to the hospital," he heard Albus say.

Rose nodded and helped him up too. They were trying to make him lean on them, but once he was standing, he slightly pushed them away and uttered with difficulty, "The match… Is not finished." He slightly pointed his chin at the Snitch that was mockingly flying not too far from them.

"Who cares about the match?! Just go to the hospital!" Rose yelled at him.

He shook his head and summoned his broom that was fortunately still intact.

"It seems that Scorpius Malfoy still doesn't want to give up despite his injuries. Will he be able to fly safely?" Finn commented.

"So stubborn," Albus sighed heavily, "I don't have a choice then. Rose, keep him here while I put a quick end to this match." He then flew away.

Scorpius wanted to do the same, but Rose gripped his arm and warned him, "Don't you try to go on that broom."

"Albus Potter is back to chasing the Snitch, and everyone else has started to play they part normally again, except Rose Weasley who is holding down Scorpius Malfoy. Wait, isn't that against the rules?" He sounded confused for a moment but then added, "Well, it's probably better that he doesn't go back in the air anyway."

Scorpius glared at that stupid commentator's direction and muttered, "What do you even know?" He may be injured, but not enough to be paralyzed on the ground.

"Albus Potter is getting closer to the Snitch! He's almost there! Will he catch it and end the match so that we can get the staff on the field? YES! HE CAUGHT IT! This match ends, and the victory goes to Gryffindor!" Finn McCarthy yelled.

A few seconds later, Rose and Scorpius were surrounded by professors and players. Now that Scorpius didn't have any reason to resist anymore, relieved that Rose was fine and able to go to the hospital, he smiled at her one last time before finally giving in. Then, everything went black.


	18. Chapter 18

I actually wanted to update this chapter before the end of the year, but I was busier than expected during the holidays :/ Well, instead of being the last chapter of 2014, it'll just be the first of 2015 haha.

And by the way, Happy New Year! :)

xxxxx

* * *

xxxxx

**Chapter 18:**

When Scorpius opened his eyes, everything was blurry. He could only recognize white walls and a silhouette with red hair on a chair. His vision was finally starting to go back to normal, and he noticed that Rose was actually sleeping, her head resting on the side of his bed. She was also holding his hand.

He smiled, and caressed her hand with his thumb. That mere touch was enough to wake her up. She slowly started moving, and moved her head up, still half-asleep. But when she remembered where she was and saw Scorpius awake, her eyes widened and she grinned, "Scorpius!" She hugged him without thinking.

He raised his eyebrows and chuckled, "Getting injured was totally worth it." As he tried to hug her back, he noticed that he had a cast on his left arm and was unable to move it.

She broke the hug and hit his uninjured arm, "Don't joke about this! Do you even know how worried I was? You slept for four whole days." She squinted in an accusing way, "All that because of that new nurse who got the painkilling spell wrong. Since when do we have interns here anyway?"

He couldn't help smiling at her worried and angry face. He put his right hand on her face in a comforting way, "As feisty as always, I see."

She calmed down at his touch, and finally smiled at him, "I'm glad you're ok."

"So he's finally awake? Did you kiss him to wake him up? Because I was thinking about calling him Sleeping Beauty from now on," Damon teased him as he entered the room with Sicilia.

Rose straightened up, a little embarrassed. And Scorpius sighed theatrically, "Unfortunately, I woke up on my own. Sorry to break your little fantasy."

Rose frowned, "How do you even know the Sleeping Beauty story?"

"Everyone knows it. Maleficent was the most feared witch back in her time," Damon told her, not understanding why she was surprised.

Rose's eyes widened, "You mean it's a _real_ story? It's sold as a fairy tale in the Muggle world."

"She didn't have any horns or anything, though," Sicilia remarked, apparently knowing about the Muggle fairy tale.

Scorpius chuckled, "Don't you have a good part of your family that is pureblood? How come you've never heard about that?"

She shrugged, "It's not like we talk a lot about fairy tales." She then looked at Sicilia and Damon, "Now that you're here, I can go tell Madam Pomfrey that he woke up." She then stood up and left the room.

Damon watched her leave and then told Malfoy, "I have to admit that even if I knew you two were going out, it was a little strange to see her staying at your bedside and all. She'd even do her homework here."

"And it's probably unnecessary to say that your little heroic act and Rose's behaviour after that made your new relationship quite noticeable," Sicilia informed him.

Scorpius shrugged nonchalantly, "Well, we'd decided to stop hiding after the game anyway." He then became serious as he asked them, "By the way, do you know what happened with Rose's broom? It wouldn't break like that without any reason."

Damon and Sicilia exchanged a look before Sicilia told him, "We're not sure yet."

"But you know something," he insisted.

Sicilia nodded slightly, "But we really can't jump to conclusions."

"Who did this, Sicilia?" He asked less nicely.

She sighed, giving in, "It may have been two girls from our house. Someone saw them a little before the game and heard them say 'Let's see if that Miss Perfect can manage this.' They only saw their backs, though. We only know they're both brunettes."

He was starting to get angry, "And didn't they think it was suspicious at all?"

Sicilia shrugged, "They didn't really think about it, until Rose's broom broke."

"Mister Malfoy, how are you feeling?" Madam Pomfrey then entered the room, along with Rose.

"A little stiff," he joked while mentioning his casted arm. "When will I be freed from this thing?"

She shook her head, smiling slightly, "As expected of you. Always thinking about going out of here." Of course, it was far from being the first time he ended up in the hospital wing.

He shrugged while she was looking at his left arm, "I heard that I've stayed quite some time here already."

"Four days, yes. And during that time, most of your injuries have healed, we'll be able to remove the cast tomorrow, you'll probably be able to get out too. I have to tell you that you came here in a poor shape, I don't even know who you were able to still stand on the field after that."

He smirked, "I never do anything half-heartedly, you see."

Madam Pomfrey merely shook her head and looked at the clock on the wall, "I'll bring you dinner." She looked at his friends and told them, "You should go eat too. You can quickly come back later if you want." She then went away.

"Well, it's true that I'm getting quite hungry," Damon said while putting his hand on his stomach.

Rose chuckled, "Let's go." She then smiled at Scorpius, "See you later."

Damon grinned at his best friend, "'Night, mate!"

Sicilia smiled briefly as she said, "See you tomorrow."

He smiled and nodded at them to say goodbye.

A few minutes later, he heard someone enter the room, and exclaimed, "Ah, here's finally my dinner!"

"Sorry to disappoint, but you'll have to starve a little longer," he heard Albus say as he was walking towards him. He stopped next to the bed, "How you're doing?"

He smirked, "What do you think? I've never been better!" He then asked him, "But shouldn't you be having dinner right now?"

"I heard you'd woken up so I just came here first. I'm not that hungry yet anyway."

"Such a thoughtful friend I have here," he joked and went on, "Unless you couldn't wait to lecture me or something like that."

Albus chuckled, "For dating my little cousin behind my back? I have to admit I did think about it."

Scorpius smiled awkwardly, "Sorry about that. Well not the dating part, because I certainly won't apologize for that. But for hiding it from you."

"Don't worry, Rose already told me she'd taken that decision."

Scorpius nodded slowly, glad he won't have to argue with his friend, but still asked, "So, you're not against it or anything, right?"

Albus' face became serious as he asked Scorpius, "Well, you're serious about her, aren't you?"

"More than I've never been," he answered honestly.

"I knew it the second I saw you rushed down to catch her. I'd never seen you fly that fast in five years. You even reacted faster than me. If it weren't for you, Rose would be the one lying in a hospital bed right now, and definitely with more serious injuries than yours, or worse," Albus clenched his fist at the thought.

"Don't think like that. She's fine, and I'm fairly well myself, too," he assured him with a hint of humour.

He smiled back, but still said with a serious expression, "The point is, you did a better job at protecting her than me. That's how serious you are about her. And that's why I'm happy to entrust her to you."

Scorpius smiled, "Thanks, mate, it means a lot to me." He then added jokingly, "No, because even if you were against it, I would've still dated her. But then it would've been quite uncomfortable between us."

Albus chuckled and shook his head, "What could I do against such a stubborn pair anyway?"

He grinned, "Probably nothing."

That's when someone else entered. This time it was really Madam Pomfrey coming with his dinner.

"Mister Potter, what are you doing here? It's dinner time, go eat. I already told your friends they could come by later," she rebuked him.

"I was just about to go anyway," Albus assured her. He then told Scorpius, "See you tomorrow, mate."

Scorpius nodded with a smile, "See you."

xxxxx

Rose was eating and laughing with Lena and Peter when Lily came to talk to them, "Hey, I heard your boyfriend has woken up. Is he fine?"

"He's fine, he'll be able to get out tomorrow." Rose then gave her a look, "And stop calling him like that, it's not like you don't know his name."

Lily shrugged while smiling mischievously, "Well, he is your boyfriend, isn't he?"

Rose sighed, "He is, yes. I think everyone's pretty clear about that fact already."

"Talking about that, do Aunt 'Mione and Uncle Ron know about that?"

"Yes, because the first thing I do when I have a boyfriend is calling my parents to tell them," she replied sarcastically.

"You should tell them quickly, before they find out by someone else. The news won't be kept in Hogwarts for long, and imagine your dad's face when someone's tells him that." She was obviously enjoying the thought of it.

Rose sighed, "Don't mention it. I don't want to think about that right now." Her mom should be fine with it, but her dad probably won't take the news well. She'd rather have that conversation as late as possible.

"Fine, fine," Lily seemed to get the clue, as she smiled with her hands up, "Anyway, tell him I said hi, as the nice little cousin I am. And I hope you know I am not being sarcastic at all right now."

Rose chuckled at her antics, "I will."

Lily grinned at her before joining her friends at the table.

Rose then noticed Peter had been staring at her strangely while eating his roasted chicken. She frowned at him, "What now?"

He shook his head, "I just realized that now that Malfoy's awake, and that everyone knows about… about you two," he still wasn't used to this, "I will actually witness you two behaving like a couple. It almost ruined my appetite."

Lena, who was sitting next to him, hit his arm, "Idiot. How can you say that? Plus, your appetite seems just fine." He was engulfing his food right now.

"I faid 'almoft'!" He retorted with his mouth full. He then swallowed his food and told Rose, "Sorry but it's just that… It's _Malfoy_."

"Believe me, I had a hard time dealing with that fact, too," she assured him.

He sighed and looked away, "Well, he did seem like a fairly good lad when he saved you, so I guess it's ok," he then pointed the chicken leg he was holding at her as he added, "But it's still overly strange."

She chuckled, "I get how you're feeling, don't worry."

"At least you know," he said in a satisfied manner, and took a big bite out of the chicken leg.

Lena sighed heavily, shaking her head, "Help me, that boy has no manners."

"And you realize that just now?" Albus teased as he joined them at the table, sitting next to Rose.

"You're finally here, where were you?" Peter asked him.

"I went to see Scorpius. We had a nice little chat," he said while casting a sideways look at Rose.

Rose said nothing, but Lena joked, "Let me guess, the 'You're a good friend, but if you hurt her, you're dead' talk?"

"Or a 'Thanks for saving her butt, but do not dare to touch it'?" Peter teased. That earned him a hit on the arm from Lena.

Albus shook his head, smiling, "None of this." He didn't elaborate any further. And Rose was thankful for that. If only everyone else would also stop talking about the fact that she was dating Scorpius, that would be great.

xxxxx

The next day, Scorpius was finally released from the hospital wing and had his cast removed.

He grinned while looking at his bare arm, "That's more like it."

"Hey, Hero of the week!" Damon called him happily. "Ready to come back to the real world?"

Scorpius chuckled, "I think I'm fine, yes."

"Great, then let's go!" Damon exclaimed theatrically, putting his arm around Scorpius' shoulders and leading him towards the Slytherin Dungeon.

"So, anything big I missed?" He inquired.

Damon seemed to think about it before replying, "Well, what happened to _you_ was kind of the big thing of the week. And the news about you and Rose, obviously."

Scorpius sighed, "It's not that big of a deal, why do they even care about it?"

Damon shrugged, "Scorpius Malfoy, who's always cold and doesn't seem to care about any of his girlfriends, rushes down without hesitation to save a girl. And she's Rose Weasley. Rose Weasley, who used to regularly claim her hatred for him in public, then stays at his bedside until he wakes up and eventually admits they're going out. Of course people would be surprised and talk about it." After a little pause, he added, "Plus let's face reality, no matter how it was revealed, it's mainly because you're Scorpius Malfoy and she's Rose Weasley."

Scorpius rolled his eyes, "People should really get lives of their own and stop butting into ours."

As they were almost arrived to the Slytherin Dungeon, they saw someone leaning on a wall nonchalantly, apparently waiting for them. It was James Potter.

Damon put his hand on Scorpius' shoulder, "I guess I'll just go ahead. See you later." He smirked at his friend before leaving him, slightly nodding hello with a grin at James Potter when he walked in front of him.

Scorpius walked towards James Potter with a neutral expression on his face, "Waiting for me?" The two of them had never really talked to each other, so he didn't really know what to expect from him.

James straightened up a bit and took a step forward, his smirk still in place, "Well, since Albus probably went easy on you, I had to step in."

Scorpius crossed his arms, "if you're trying to impress me, I'm sorry but it won't work you know."

He chuckled, "I know that. You're not a wimp like that Chace bloke, and I actually like that."

"So, what do you want to tell me?"

James chuckled again, "Albus said you were actually nice, but you're rather cold right now."

Scorpius shrugged slightly, "I just got out of the hospital, so I'd rather go back to my bedroom than chat with you, frankly."

"Straightforward as usual, I see. But shouldn't you be a little nicer to me?"

He scoffed, "If you think I'll put an act just because you're Rose's cousin, you clearly don't know me."

James looked amused, "You're the first one to actually scoff at me like that. It's quite refreshing, to be honest."

Scorpius smirked confidently, "The others were easily impressed, I guess. I don't find you that frightening."

"That's because I'm not trying to be. You might change your mind if you seem me genuinely angry, but let's just hope that never happens," James smiled.

Scorpius had to admit he was good at the whole 'frightening the new boyfriend' thing, but that still wouldn't be enough for him. He smiled back confidently, "I don't see any reason for that to happen."

James grinned, "Great, I believe we're good then." He was about to leave but stopped midway and added, "One last thing. Surely Rose isn't a sort of a game to you, right?"

Scorpius looked straight at him, "How could I take the girl I love as a game?"

James smiled, "Just wanted to check. Thank you for your honesty, and rest well." He finally walked away.

And Scorpius finally went in his dormitory after telling off not so gently everyone who tried to ask him questions in the common room. He let himself drop on his bed, resting on his back with his eyes closed, "So much better than those beds in the hospital wing."

Damon, who was lying on his own bed, asked him, "So, did you have a nice little chat with the big Potter?"

"Not too bad. That's the longest conversation I've ever had with him, but he seems like a pretty nice bloke actually."

"Didn't he threaten you or anything?"

Scorpius opened his eyes and looked at his friend, "He didn't, but he also did. He lives up to his reputation, I can tell you."

Damon frowned, "But you like him?"

Scorpius shrugged, "Yes, he's cool."

"Hey, you're finally out I see," Sicilia greeted him as she entered the boys' room.

"Sicilia, I think our friend here is officially a masochist," Damon said as a greeting.

Sicilia simply went to sit on Scorpius' bed, while saying casually, "And why would I be interested in such private manners?"

Scorpius straightened up, "Don't believe him. He's spouting nonsense as usual."

"I'm not. Look, I suspected it when you fell in love for the one girl that was giving you a hard time in Hogwarts, and now you're even saying you think James Potter's a nice bloke because he threatened you."

Scorpius sighed, "Not because he threatened me, obviously. But the general feeling I got from our conversation. He's nice but strong, and won't let anyone walk on his – or his family members' – feet, and I respect that."

Sicilia nodded, "It sounds logical. I always thought James Potter and you were kind of similar."

Damon frowned, obviously not agreeing with her, "In what way?"

"Well, James is globally nicer than Scorpius, but if you think about it, they're both arrogant and prideful men who like to be straightforward."

Damon seemed to think about it, "It does sound logical when you put it that way."

"Of course it does, it's Sicilia who said it. If she argued that the sky was in fact green and grass was blue, you might still end up agreeing with her," Scorpius remarked. That girl would always have the last word.

xxxxx

Rose went to the Gryffindor's common room after her last lesson was finished. Peter and Lena were together on the couch. Albus was probably with Suzy.

"You're already here?" Lena asked her.

"Well yes, why?" It was like usual.

Lena shrugged, "I just thought you'd go see Scorpius after your lesson, since he's been released today."

"We'll see each other during dinner time, plus he's probably at his dormitory right now, and I'd rather not go around here for now."

Lena tilted her head, "When you put it like that…"

"By the way, I heard he talked to Malfoy," Peter then told Rose, pointed his chin at James who was laughing with Fred a few meters away.

Rose sighed heavily, "Of course he did. If you'll excuse me," she smiled at her friends before going to see her cousin. She didn't have a smile on her face anymore when she asked him, "You talked to Scorpius?"

Fred chuckled, "Here she comes."

James merely smiled at her, "Yes I did, but why that unpleasant tone?"

She crossed her arms, "Because you always try to scare off my new boyfriends. But Scorpius is a little less nice than the others, so I was wondering if I should worry when you two are in the same room or not."

James feigned being hurt and put his hand on his chest, "You wound me, Rosie. Am I some kind of persecutor?" As she just kept staring at him, he talked more seriously, "Look, the bloke saved you, what do you think I did? I told him we're good." He then smirked, "Plus, you used to be the one who shouldn't be in the same room as him."

Rose was a little surprised by his answer, but ignored it and just gave him a look because of his last sentence, "Well, at least _I_ never sent anyone to the hospital."

Fred laughed, "She's got a point."

"Hey, that bloody Graham deserved it," he pointed out, getting worked up again only by mentioning his name. He crossed his arms and added, "And it's not like he was hurt. He was just puking snails for a whole week." He then grinned at Fred, "Gotta love your tips, mate."

They high-fived and Fred smirked proudly, "They never disappoint, do they?"

Rose sighed and shook her head, "And you're proud of yourselves."

Both her big cousins grinned at her and exclaimed at the same time, "Very proud."

She rolled her eyes, and then said, "Anyway, I'm glad nothing happened." She turned around and walked back to Lena and Peter.

"So, will we witness a duel anytime soon or not?" Peter joked.

Rose shook her head, "Apparently the two of them are good. Whatever _that_ means."

xxxxx

"And once again, our beloved Rose Weasley has all eyes on her," Peter teased as the four Gryffindor students were walking to Great Hall. As usual, whispers, sideways look, and not-so-discreet glances ensued as soon as they'd pass by other students.

"They're probably craving to see Rose interact with Malfoy," Albus added.

Rose sighed and said in a highly sarcastic tone, "Thrilled to know I'm still a great source of entertainment to everyone."

When they arrived at the Great Hall, they were quite early and Scorpius, Damon or Sicilia weren't there yet. The four friends peacefully went to sit at their usual seats.

The three Slytherin students finally entered the room a few minutes later – quite theatrically by the way, with Scorpius flanking the doors open at once – and everyone suddenly stopped talking.

Scorpius smirked and exclaimed, "Ah, it's so good to be back." He then said something to Damon but Rose was too far to hear it, but as he was still smirking, he was probably boasting about his great popularity.

As expected, while everyone was waiting for him to go see Rose, he directly went to sit at the Slytherin table.

Peter frowned and said, "Once a prick, always a prick. I thought you hadn't seen each other yet today."

Rose smiled while looking at where Scorpius was sitting, "We didn't."

Peter just frowned again, "Then, why is he ignoring you and why aren't you the bit angry?"

Rose simply shrugged, "I didn't want him to come here and have the whole school watch us anyway." She then looked at Peter as she added with a slight smile, "And he didn't ignore me." It was brief, but they eyes had met for about a second, and she'd seen him smile at her.

Peter shivered theatrically, "You're being too sweet. And that's really creeping me out."

Lena sighed and explained succinctly to him, "It's normal. They're together now. Get over it already."

"I'll need more than a week for that," he replied and then looked at Albus for support, "Aren't you creeped out?"

Albus seemed to think about it before answering, "I am more confused than creeped out, I think."

"Boys, can't we talk about something else? I would like to eat peacefully, without having to hear people scrutinizing my love life."

Albus and Peter sighed, "Fine, we'll stop."

After they'd finished eating, they went out of the Great Hall. And seeing that Scorpius, Damon and Sicilia had already left, Peter told Rose, "Not that I mind, but what's the point of revealing your relationship if you still keep avoiding each other in public?"

Lena gave him a look, "And since when are you wise enough to give love advice?"

He grinned and put his arm around her shoulders, "Since I got you."

She slightly pushed him away, acting offended, "You didn't _get_ me."

He put his arm right back around her shoulders, and pulled her closer, "Come on, you know I'm not good with words."

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling as she said, "Right. But don't think you can always use that excuse."

"For once that being an idiot helps you, Crawford."

Peter tilted his head, agreeing. And then he probably realized he should've been offended and shouted, "Hey!"

Scorpius was leaning nonchalantly against a wall near the Great Hall entrance, smirking. He scoffed, "It's so easy to play with you it's not even fun anymore."

Peter glared at him before looking at Rose, "How the hell can you find anything likeable about him, seriously?"

Before she could answer, Scorpius scoffed, "I'm more puzzled about Lena who has a functioning brain finding you attractive."

Peter definitely didn't take that remark in a good way, "You little–"

"Ok, ok, stop it you two," Rose moved between the two of them, her hands stretched out to keep them from fighting.

They glared at each other one last time before calming down. They both took a step back, and Rose put her hands down.

Scorpius smirked, "Ah right, now I remember why I was waiting." He suddenly pulled her into a kiss, not giving a crap about anyone else. And she responded to it, until she realized they were in public and broke the kiss.

"What are you doing?" She said half surprised half embarrassed. He always did that. Kissing her, and making her lose her mind for a moment. She looked around. Peter looked disgusted, Albus looked shocked and disturbed, and Lena looked like they didn't care much. A few people that still were in this corridor were frozen, blinking or staring at them. For once, she understood them. It hadn't been a small and chaste kiss after all.

He chuckled, his hands now on her waist, "What do you think? Kissing my girlfriend."

She gave him a look, "You don't say. But what's the point of waiting to make a scene like that in the end?"

He simply shrugged and replied half-jokingly, "Less people watching?" Seeing the expression on her face, he added, "Everyone knows already, so who cares?"

Peter held his hand up, "Me and my mental health?"

Lena slapped his arm down, "Shut it already."

Scorpius smirked at him, "Then it's a bonus."

"Yep. It will take me some time to get used to that," Albus concluded, finally speaking up, staring at them.

Rose realized Scorpius had still his hands around her waist, and she gently put them away and took a step back, clearing her throat out of embarrassment. She decided to change the subject and asked Scorpius, "And where are Damon and Sicilia?"

Scorpius shrugged, "Probably already in our dormitory."

Rose slightly flinched, thinking about Sicilia. Scorpius had assured her Sicilia didn't like him like that, but she couldn't help wondering if she hadn't put on her usual poker face and convinced him. She couldn't bring herself to ask her directly, either. She was too afraid of the answer. And the fact that Sicilia was in the hospital wing every time Rose had class but she didn't wasn't helping. Sure, they were best friends, but Rose wouldn't have done that even for Peter, while she pictured Lena doing that for him, since she loved him.

She went back to reality as she felt Scorpius' fingers stroking her hair and asking softly, "Rose, are you ok?"

She looked up and smiled at him, nodding, "Hm."

"Ok, that's my cue. It's really getting way too creepy for me," she heard Peter exclaim. She turned her head to see him putting his hands up, turning around and walking away while saying, "See you later, Rose."

Lena rolled her eyes, but still followed him. And Albus went with them, probably glad Peter gave him an excuse to get away.

Rose chuckled while watching her friends walk away. She didn't know for whom it had been more awkward, to be honest.

"So, will you tell me what you were thinking about or not?" Scorpius insisted.

She looked at him again, and simply said, "Nothing, really."

He sighed, obviously not believing her, but still replied, "It can't be nothing. But is it at least nothing serious?"

She smiled and shook her head, looking straight into his eyes to show him she wasn't lying, "It's not. You don't have to worry."

"I can't help it. Especially after your broom accident," he said with a hint of worry and anger, his jaw tensed.

She looked down and also saw his clenched fist, she put her hand on his wrist to calm him down, "I'm ok. And you are too. So let's not worry about this anymore. It was probably a mean prank anyway. Not the first time something like that happened to me, and probably not the last."

It seemed she'd succeeded as she felt his muscles relax as he let out in a sigh, "Right."

She suddenly wondered when they'd become so close to each other. So naturally intimate. She'd never imagined she could feel like that so soon. Maybe she'd spent so much time convincing herself she hated him that she never realized how well she knew him, and how well he knew her. All those years mastering the art of taunting each other, getting into each other's skin while testing each other's limits and sometimes going overboard probably helped.

A few seconds later, Scorpius' smirk was back on his face as he told her, "So, do you think we could work on the potion for tomorrow's class? I don't want to fall behind just because I overslept for a few days."

She smirked back and decided to tease him a little, "But, you didn't miss Potions class."

"I did not, but my memory is a little blurry," he insisted playfully.

She pretended to think about it and finally replied, "I guess we can try doing it, I happen to know in what classroom we could practice without being disturbed."

He feigned surprise, "What a great coincidence!"

She laughed, "Come on."

xxxxx

"Sicilia, I'm bored," Damon complained childishly.

She didn't bother looking at him when she replied, "That's what usually happens when you do nothing." She turned the page of the book she was reading.

She saw him straighten up on his bed as he said, "Let's do something together, then." He wasn't implying anything, as he would've usually been if he'd been alone with basically any other girl.

She sighed and looked at him, deadpan, "Like what?"

He shrugged, "Talk?"

"We're already talking," she pointed out.

He grinned, "And I'm already less bored. See? It's working."

"But I wasn't bored. I liked reading my book."

He sighed out of frustration, "And _that's_ why barely anyone talks to you. You're always buried in your books."

"I'm fine with that," she told him with a straight face.

"Well, I'm not!" He suddenly exclaimed.

She sighed, "Fine, I'll read later and keep you company, since you're a big child."

He rolled his eyes, "That's not what I was talking about. I meant that it's a shame that you're always guarded around people. You're even like that with me, someone you've been friends with since five bloody years."

She was a bit taken aback to have been taken aback by his remark. She was supposed to always know what other people were thinking, while no one could really know what was on her mind.

"I'm not really guarded around you," she refuted.

"You are right now," he remarked. "You're not only when Scorpius is with us. Sometimes I feel like if he isn't around, you're never your real self. I've always wondered why, to be honest."

"I don't need Scorpius to be comfortable, or even to be me, if that's what you think."

"I know that you don't _need_ him, but that you only show that side of you to him."

"But you saw it too," she argued.

"_Saw_ it, right. When you're being all sweet to Scorpius. But you've never been like that to me."

She looked straight at him as she asked, "Are you being jealous right now?"

Damon looked utterly surprised, as if she'd just said he was a girl, "Of course not, what are you thinking? I am just confused."

It definitely seemed like jealousy to her, but he was obviously not aware of it, so it was no use to insist and try to find if it was as a friend or something more, as he did not know himself.

She therefore merely asked, "Confused about what? About the way I act around Scorpius, or about why I don't act like that with you?"

He frowned, already a little lost, and said with an uncertain voice, "Both?" He then added, "No, scratch that. I only want to know why you're not comfortable around me. We've been friends since we were ten, after all. Plus, everyone's comfortable around me. Except shy girls that have a crush on me who blush every time I merely look at them, but you're obviously not part of that category."

"I am comfortable around you. Or else how could I spend so much time alone with you?" She pointed out.

"That's what I thought, too. But you're still not comfortable enough to be sweet to me."

"It's not about being comfortable or not. I just don't want to be sweet to you," she told him honestly. She could do that with Scorpius since they didn't have any romantic feelings for each other, but if she did that with Damon, she wouldn't be able to control her feelings anymore. Which would be troublesome. And she hated troublesome things. But most of all, she hated not being in control.

"It hurts a little knowing that you never lie, you know," he replied with a ghost of a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

She felt a little bad for him, but she didn't let it show and nonchalantly assured him, "You'll get over it."

He took a deep breath in a dramatic manner, and then grinned, "You're right. I'm already fine."

She shook her head, looking away while smiling a little at his silliness, "Wasn't that a little too fast?"

He smiled genuinely as he replied softly, "Well, I'm fine as long as you can smile like that at me."

She wasn't affected by his mischievous smirks, or his arrogant grins, or his flirty smiles, but one innocent, honest smile like this one from him and she'd remember why she was in love with him even though he was such a childish playboy.

He leaned back a little, not aware of the effect he'd just had on her, and went on, "It's already more than what you do around other people. I feel privileged enough."

"As long as you're satisfied," she said ironically.

"Well, if you remember well, I worked hard to get that privilege," he smirked.

"I mostly remember how annoyingly persistent you were," she teased him.

"I think you mispronounced the word 'lovingly' just now," he grinned.

She pretended to think about it and said teasingly, "No, I really didn't."

xxxxx

Rose and Scorpius were both lying down on their backs on a soft blanket that Scorpius had conjured some time ago. They'd snogged, they'd talked, they'd talked while snogging, and now they were just enjoying a peaceful moment together.

Rose changed of position and was now lying on her left side, holding her head up with her left hand, and smiled at Scorpius, "It's funny how we always end up in that classroom."

He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her, "I guess we're still used to sneaking out here." He then mirrored her position and smiled seductively, "Plus, I definitely don't mind the privacy we have here."

She returned his smile, closed the gap between their lips, and said between two kisses, "Neither do I."

She then turned around and snuggled her back into his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on hers. She closed her eyes and smiled, "Let's stay a bit like that before we go back to our dormitories."

She felt him kiss her hair, "That's fine with me."

"Not that I mind, au contraire, but who are you and what have you done to the real Scorpius Malfoy?" She joked, still not moving. She couldn't believe it was the same boy she'd hated for so long.

"I left him with the angry and stubborn Rose Weasley," he replied just as jokingly.

She chuckled, "It still feels kind of surreal to me, you know."

"What? Having other versions of us that would be fighting right now? It is surreal, that's the joke," he told her.

She slapped his hand softly, "You know I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about us. The real and current versions of us." After realizing how scared she'd been when he was hurt, she threw her pride away and just admitted her feelings for him out loud, and it had been quite liberating for her. She now felt a lot more comfortable about their relationship.

"Oh, that. I know, it's hard to believe someone as perfect as me really exists. And yet, it's the reality. You're one lucky girl, I'm telling you."

The turned around in order to face him, and gave him a look, even though she was smiling, "Can't you be serious one second?"

He sighed, and looking at her in a loving way, and put his hand on her cheek, "You can feel my hand on your cheek, can't you?"

She merely nodded.

He smiled, "Then it's real." He tucked a lock of her hair that was falling in front of her face behind her ear, "And actually, the more I think about us, the less I find it surreal or even strange."

She smiled back at him and remarked jokingly, "On second thoughts, it's not our relationship that's surreal, it's you being so sweet."

He smirked and raised his eyebrows, "You're right, I'm not usually the cuddling type."

She smirked back, daring him, "Then, what type are you?"

He suddenly moved on top of her, his hands holding hers on the ground, above her head. He declared in a challenging way, "More like that type."

"Oh, like that you mean?" She then pushed him on the side and was now kneeling over him, smirking confidently.

He straightened up so that his face would be at the same level as hers, and instead of replying, he kissed her heatedly. She instinctively let go of his hands, so that she could pull his face closer. One of his hands was now holding her waist and pulling it closer to him, and the other was on her neck. She wrapped her legs around his waist.

They broke the kiss once they were both out of breath. He smirked again, "Yes, that's definitely more like it."

She chuckled, "I can feel that." She then looked at the clock on the wall, and sighed, "We should probably head back to our dormitories now."

Scorpius didn't seem to agree as he started kissing her neck, "Do you really want to go back?"

"Definitely not," she told him, but then slightly pushed him away, and gave him a firm look, "But it's already too late." She stood up before she changed her mind.

Scorpius sighed, "Why are you so responsible?" He stood up too.

She shrugged, smirking, "I am Miss Perfect, don't you remember?"

He frowned and slightly pouted his lips, "Who the hell gave you that nickname?"

"I believe it's a certain white-blond Slytherin, who's most of the time an arrogant prick," she joked.

"Sounds like an awful bloke. I should give him a lesson," he replied in the same manner, putting his hands around her waist again.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick kiss. She then put her hands on his chest and said, "Now, let's go." Before he could protest, she turned around and headed towards the door.

She heard him sigh, "Fine."

She took out her wand, pointed it at the door, and said, "Alohomora." She went out of the classroom, Scorpius right next to her.

Two girls from Hufflepuff were in the corridor, they were 5th years if Rose remembered well. They briefly looked towards the couple's direction, and then just went on talking with each other.

Scorpius put his hand on Rose's waist and told her, "I have to say it's good not to have to hide anymore."

Rose smiled, "It is." Rose just wished everyone else would act like these two girls and not give a crap about Rose and Scorpius being together.

xxxxx

Chace Hannigan was chilling out in the Ravenclaw's common room with his friends, Julius and Eric. But once they started talking about Quidditch, he stopped taking part in the conversation, judging that thinking about who he should try to date next was more important than trying to hold a conversation about something he wasn't that interested in.

Just as he was wondering if he should go for Malicia Meyer or not, he heard something that caught his attention. Julius just said Rose Weasley's name. "I still can't believe even _Rose Weasley_ fell for Malfoy. How does he do that?" Julius complained.

"Must be the hair color," Eric guessed somewhat absentmindedly. When the two others just stared at him, wondering if he was in his right mind, he added, "Or maybe his good looks in general. Or the fact that he's athletic. And not to mention the fact that he's the seeker and captain of his Quidditch team."

Chace gave him a look, "What are you? His groupie?"

"I am not," Eric calmly refuted, "I'm just being objective here."

"What I don't understand is not why he is popular, it's how he managed to get Rose Weasley to fall in for him. She even ditched Chace the second she realized he was a git." He then quickly looked at Chace and said, "No offense."

Chace shrugged, unaffected, "None taken. It's kind of the truth."

"Well, he did go full knight-in-shining-armour when he saved her. That probably did the trick."

Julius crossed his arms and scoffed, "For all we know, he could've been the one setting this up in order to appear like a hero."

"Yes, because losing his match and risking his own life merely to get a girl seems worth it," Eric pointed out sarcastically.

"Not any girl, it's Rose Weasley we're talking about. She's like the biggest fish in the sea. And the most profitable one, that Malfoy could definitely use to polish his family's image."

"Aren't you just being jealous?" Eric remarked. "I mean, even if we assume that Rose was more naïve than she appears to be, if he really was trying to take advantage of her, her two personal bodyguards that go by the name of Potter would've realized it and done something already."

Chace didn't say anything, but had to admit Eric was right. The Potters brothers were no joke. And neither was Rose Weasley.

"Hence the hero thing. So that he'd gain everyone's trust," Julius insisted.

"Then, he's one hell of a good actor."

Julius then looked at Chace, and asked him, "What do you think?"

"I think it's none of our business." And that he didn't want to be hexed or worse, so he'd better into meddle into their business. Not ever again.

Julius frowned, "What happened to you, exactly? You used to be the first one to talk crap about Malfoy."

Chace replied calmly, "I matured, that's all." As if he'd admit that Rose Weasley had scared the hell out of him and that he didn't dare to badmouth any of her close acquaintances since then, especially Malfoy seeing how she'd snapped the last time.

Julius let out a snarky scoff, "Mature, you? Right."

"At least more than you," Chace retorted. "You're just bitter because Malfoy succeeded where you never even dared to try."

"Aren't you bitter that he succeeded where you failed tremendously?" He retorted.

"I was. But then I realized that if a girl like her thought Malfoy was better than me, even though she used to refer to him as her archenemy, I must've been one _really_ despicable git to her. So it was only normal for me to have failed."

"You've really become mature," Eric then commented, a little too surprised.

Chace shrugged, "Of course. I therefore decided not to go for girls with values anymore. They're too tiring."

Eric sighed, shaking his head, "I take back what I said."

"What are you guys talking about?" Petunia Whitworth suddenly chimed in with a smile.

"None of your business," Chace automatically replied. Petunia had a boyfriend, one hell of a running mouth, and far too much make-up on her face for him to bother trying to be nice and charming around her.

She glared at him, "There were so many ways to say that less rudely, you know."

Eric intervened – probably sensing Chace was about to break his N°1 rule which was to never hit a girl – and asked her calmly, "Do you perhaps want something from us?"

She shrugged, "I was just bored, and you seemed to have quite a passionate argument, I thought it might be fun."

"You're too late though, we're already done. Too bad for you," Chace told her coldly, his arms crossed.

"Actually, we're not," Julius refuted. He then smiled brightly at Petunia, "And you came just at the right time."

Petunia smirked and flipped her hair a little, "Need my expert advice?"

Chace glared at Julius and warned him, "Don't you dare ask her."

But Julius ignored him royally and just went on, "You're usually very well informed about what's going on in this school, so I'll just ask you. Who do you think broke Rose Weasley's broom?"

"Well, I heard it might be two brunettes from Slytherin, there was apparently a witness," she answered immediately, "Why?"

"Told you it couldn't possibly be him," Eric told Julius in a somewhat bored tone.

Petunia tilted her head, not following, "Who?"

"Julius became a conspiracy freak and thought Malfoy had planned the whole thing to appear like a hero," Chace then explained, "Please tell him that's total rubbish." If Petunia was going to know about this, he had to make sure she wouldn't put him together with Julius. That girl was one of Albus' girlfriend's best friends after all. And did he mention her big running mouth?

Petunia stared at them for a few seconds, before bursting out laughing, "For once, I have to agree with Hannigan. As if Scorpius Malfoy would be stupid enough to come up with such a complicated plan when he obviously doesn't need to use such underhanded methods."

Julius looked away, bitter, "Well, sorry to come up with crazy ideas. It's just that I don't understand what Weasley sees in that prick."

Petunia crossed her arms, teasing him, "Tsk, tsk, jealousy doesn't look good on you, Julius." She then added, "And personally, I was more confused about why she didn't like him before. It only made sense that the two smartest students of our year are compatible with each other, and you know how there's a thin line between love and hate."

She then looked at the entrance of the common room, and smiled widely, "Now if you'll excuse me." She left them without sparing them a look, and ran into her boyfriends' arms. "I missed you so much. A whole afternoon away from you is far too much."

Chace wanted to gag. How the hell could Ludovic bear with that level of clinginess? Any girl that acted like that around Chace had been dumped by him in the following minute.

"That girl gives me chills, seriously," he thought out loud.

"I have to admit she's somewhat scary," Eric agreed, while Julius was still sulking in his corner.

xxxxx

The next day, Chace was on his way to his dormitories, when a conversation two girls were having caught his attention. He instinctively hid behind the wall and listened to it.

"Weasley's so getting on my nerves. You should've seen how she was all over Scorpius during the Potions lesson. Like seriously, she's so shameless!" The first one spat acidly.

"She plays the little Miss Perfect, but I'm sure she's far from being innocent. It won't last long anyway. Scorpius will soon dump her, just like he did with all the previous ones," the second replied in the same heinous tone. He knew that voice all too well. She was always talking without being asked during their Herbology class, asking stupid questions or making mean remarks. That was Lilith Graves' voice, a 6th year from Slytherin.

"I hate to admit it, but it definitely seems different this time. And I think that what we did made the situation even worse."

Chace frowned. What were they talking about now?

"I would've never thought that he'd charge down to save her. I should've directly hexed her," Lilith growled.

Chace's eyes widened. Did that mean these two were the culprits? And they were stupid enough to talk about something like that in the corridors, and talking that loudly on top of it. Well, they were Malfoy's groupies, after all, of course they wouldn't be smart.

"You know very well it was too risky."

Chace moved a little, trying to see who the other one was without being noticed by them. He'd guessed right, Lilith was there. And next to her was another brunette that Chace recognized as Meredith Holloway. He then remembered that Petunia said the culprits may be two Slytherin brunettes. That was definitely them. He hid again, just in case.

"I don't care anymore! I don't care if she's considered the greatest young witch of our year. I don't care if she her two big cousins as bodyguards. I just want to crush her."

Meredith sighed and put her hand on Lilith's shoulder, "Just calm down for now. Let's just go back to our dormitory, and we'll think about something. We have to be smarter or we'll just fail again."

'Good luck with that,' Chace thought sardonically.

"Fine, fine. You're right. Let's go." And they left.

Chace waited a few seconds and relaxed once he was sure they were gone. So, he knew who the culprits were. And one of them was the most sadistic girl he knew.

Now, what should he do with this information? Should he act as if he never heard them, and let them just take revenge or whatever they wanted to do to Rose? She could probably handle it just fine anyway. But when thinking about it, she didn't handle the broom incident that well… And these girls did say they'd think about something better this time.

But why did he care? He got slapped and threatened by that girl, and her cousins nearly attacked him too. He should be happy she would be the one of the end of the wand for once.

He sighed heavily while walking. That wouldn't work. He might be a selfish git that only cared about looks and fame, but he wasn't that heartless. He didn't want to get that bothersome feeling that was guilt if something serious happened to her and he didn't do anything to try to prevent it.

So, he should tell Rose. But he didn't want to talk to her ever again. He should tell someone that would tell Rose. But who? Definitely not her cousins. Or her two other best friends, who probably hated him as much as she did.

He was already in front of his common room's entrance.

"Four men go to a lake and take a swim. Yet, not a single man got wet. Why?" The Knocker asked him.

"They all were married," Chace answered.

"Well reasoned." The door opened.

Chace went in, and saw Petunia Whitworth laughing. He shook his head. Definitely not her.

He then noticed that she was with Suzy Walker. Maybe her. She seemed to have become friends with Rose since she started dating Albus Potter. And she didn't look like she wanted to kill him every time their eyes met, which was definitely a good point.

Ok, he'd made up his mind. He walked towards them, ignored Petunia's glare, and looked only at Suzy, "Hey, can we talk for a sec'?"

Suzy frowned but still said, "Sure."

Chace cast a sideways look at Petunia, "Alone."

She didn't seem to appreciate, and exclaimed, "Like hell I'd listen to you. I was here first!"

Suzy smiled at her, "Petunia, please just go with Carolina and Tara while we talk."

Petunia crossed her arms and sighed, "Fine, but I really hate being ordered around." She threw one last glare at Chace before leaving them.

Chace looked around and led her a little farther so that nobody could hear them.

"So, what's going on? It's unusual for you to talk to me," Suzy was the first to speak up.

"I need to tell you something. And then, you do whatever you want with that information. It won't be my responsibility anymore. So whatever happens next won't concern me," he ranted quietly.

"Chace, just tell me already," Suzy pushed kindly.

He looked around again, making sure no one was listening, and told her, "I might have discovered totally by chance who hexed Rose's broom."

Suzy's eyes widened, and she exclaimed while trying not to be too loud, "Really? Who are they?"

"Lilith Graves and Meredith Holloway, both from Slytherin. I heard them talk before, and they clearly said they were the ones who did it, and are determined to reiterate since it didn't work like they wanted at all."

Suzy frowned, "But why would they want to harm Rose?"

"They're Malfoy's groupies, probably even stalker material, and definitely the sadistic type. Let's just say they weren't too happy to see Rose hanging out with him, and now it's even worse."

Suzy looked like she was processing the information, and nodded, "I don't really know Meredith, but Lilith could indeed be able to do that." She then looked at him, "But aren't you on bad terms with both Rose and Scorpius?"

"I'm on bad terms with their whole little group of friends. That's why I came to tell you," he explained. "Like I said, now you can tell Rose, or Malfoy, or the teachers for all I care. I already told you, I won't have to feel guilty in the future."

She seemed to realize something, and smiled slightly, "Ah of course you didn't do that out of pure heart and worry for a fellow student. But it seems more like you, so I'll believe you. I'll handle it, and you can go back to living your little life without a care in the world."

He grinned, "I knew I made the right choice by choosing you."

Then, her expression became less soft, even though she was still smiling, and she said, "But if it turns out that you used me to play a sick prank on Rose, you will have something to worry about."

Chace was taken aback, and couldn't help commenting, "Merlin, even you are two-faced like that." Their group was scary as hell.

She chuckled, "What do you mean two-faced? It's not because I'm kind that I will just sit and wait while my friends get hurt." She smiled kindly again, "But judging by your reaction, you don't look guilty. Sorry to have scared you. And thank you for at least telling me, I knew you weren't completely heartless. I'll go back to Petunia before her curiosity gets the best of her now."

She left like that. Chace shivered. They were all twisted. Each one of them. Even her. Nice people sure can be terrifying.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19:**

"Lilith Graves and Meredith Holloway?" Rose repeated.

Suzy had met with her while Albus was working on his presentation with Jonah and explained everything to her.

Suzy nodded, "That's what he said. But since the source isn't really reliable, I decided to only tell you, so that you could be more careful in case it's the truth, but I know you won't do anything rash, especially without real proof."

"You've made the right decision. Albus would've freaked out, and I won't even imagine Scorpius' reaction," Rose agreed.

"And if I go to the teachers, a mere 'Someone told me they heard two girls casually talk about this in a corridor, but they don't want to get involved so you'll just have to trust me on that' probably won't do."

"And everyone would know. No, we have to investigate this on our own. Scorpius was the one ending up hurt because of me last time, if they do something else who knows what might happen."

"Don't forget you're the one targeted," Suzy still pointed out, "You're the one who may get hurt the most. So be careful."

"Don't worry, it's not like it was the first time. Slytherins aren't really my fans in general," Rose joked. "And I've always knows that Graves hated me. She even tried to set my hair on fire in second year."

"Then imagine what she's capable of now," Suzy warned her, worrying. Suzy had had a lot of lessons with her, and even though some Slytherins often pulled pranks, Lilith was the one that always pulled the meanest ones. The teachers quickly took measures when classmates started to go to the hospital wing because of her, and told her that if this kept on going, she'd be expelled. She's therefore lying low now, but she obviously didn't reflect at all.

"Apparently hex my broom so that I would fall and potentially break half my bones?" Rose joked. When Suzy gave her a look, not finding this funny at all, Rose smiled softly and assured her, "I will be careful."

xxxxx

The basketball went right into the basket.

Lena nodded in appreciation, "You really got good at this, I have to admit."

Damon grinned, "Right? I was even able to steal the ball from you."

"Yes, and your footwork has also become better."

"Be careful, his head might explode if you inflate his ego too much," Sicilia remarked casually while reading her book as she was sitting on a bench on the side.

"Yeah, don't be so kind with him," Peter exclaimed louder. He was sitting next to Sicilia. He then mumbled, "He's not that good, anyway. No need to praise him so much."

Damon and Lena kept playing, while Sicilia kept reading, and Peter kept watching, a little bored. But he didn't know how to start a conversation with Sicilia. She never even looked up from her book since she started reading it. But it felt too awkward, and Peter was certainly not used to stay silent for such a long time.

So, he tried an approach, "I always see you with a book. I think you read even more than Rose."

She didn't move her head and just replied, "I do read a lot, so probably."

And that was it. Peter held in a sigh. The first approach was a failure. How in Merlin was he supposed to deal with this girl?

Ok. Second try, "Isn't it difficult to read with the noise they're making?"

"Not really."

Peter smiled awkwardly, "I see. You have quite the concentration skills."

She turned a page, "I guess you can say that."

It was so exhausting to try to have a conversation with that girl. "I'm sorry, I'm probably not helping. I'll let you read."

Just when Peter had decided to give up, he was surprised to see her move her head up and look at him with a polite smile on her face, "Don't worry. I always talk to Scorp' and Damon even though I'm reading. It doesn't bother me at all. Or else I would've just gone to my room."

"You're the first person I know who prefers to be around people when reading," Peter commented, a little surprised.

"As I said, I read a lot. If I was always alone when reading, it'd be pretty lonely," she explained.

"So even you can feel lonely," he thought out loud.

She let out a small chuckle, "Of course. I am a person, too."

"I know, but you just look like the solitary type," he told her, before quickly adding, "I didn't mean that in a bad way, of course."

She smiled, "Don't worry, I'm not offended. Most people see me like that after all." She then closed her book and put it next to her, "But I realize it might be a little rude of me to read while someone's talking to me. Damon actually lectured me again about this a few days ago."

"_Stones_ lecturing _you_?" Peter couldn't imagine it.

She nodded, "He finds it irritating how I never try to open up to other people. But I'm not like him, being outgoing is too tiring for me."

"Talking about how you're not like him or Malfoy, how did you even became friends with them?" Peter asked.

"Well, I've been friends with Scorpius since as far as I remember. Our mothers are best friends and we were always at each other's mansions when little. He was also the only kid I got along with. My parents used to drag me around to some social events, telling me to get along with kids of important people. But these kids were too full of themselves, even at such a young age. When I wasn't nice enough for their taste, they'd rub their families' fame into my face, telling me how much influence they had and how I should just do whatever they wanted me to do. I was a little child. I didn't care about fame or power. And I still don't. I didn't want to be kind or even smile at such big brats. Scorpius was already arrogant back then, but he bragged only about himself, not about his family. He never told me how I should act or not, either. That's probably why I kept getting along with him," she explained.

Peter was processing the information as she paused. He'd never heard her talk so much at once. Or in one whole day. "And what about Stones? You just got used to him after he became Malfoy's friend?"

"Actually, no. In first year, basically no one except Scorpius would approach me. I heard people whispering, saying that I had such a scary aura around me. And we're talking about Slytherin students here, I was a little surprised but didn't care. I was better off without people who judged others so easily anyway. Damon was the only one 'brave enough' to always try and talk to me, always grinning at me and telling me jokes, telling me a girl should smile at least a little. At first, I found him bothersome. Another arrogant kid trying to tell me what to do. But eventually, seeing that he kept trying and talking nicely to me, and never got angry at me because I wasn't kind to him in return, I realized it was more bothersome to try to ignore him. So I started answering him when he'd come talk to me, and we ended up becoming friends. If I remember correctly, Damon and Scorpius became good friends only a little after that."

Peter blinked a few times once she was finished, "You sure can be talkative when you want."

She shrugged, "You asked, so I answered. I went into details because I knew you still wouldn't understand if I didn't, as you're not really their fan." She looked at Damon and Lena who were still playing and smiled slightly, "Scorpius might be an arrogant prick, and Damon is definitely an arrogant playboy, but they have their good sides too."

Peter straightened out a little while saying, "Well, I guess they're not that bad after all." He quickly added while pointed his finger at her, "Don't mistake me, I still don't like them." He looked at Lena who just stole the ball from Damon, "But I get why you do."

"You're a great person yourself. Lena's lucky to have you."

Peter looked at her, surprised.

Sicilia smiled, "You shouldn't be surprised. Anyone who's spent some time with you two would know that."

Once he was done being shocked, Peter smiled back at her, "Thanks."

Her neutral look was back as she replied, "For what? I was just being honest."

He chuckled, "Then I'll be honest too and say that I understand why Stones insisted back in first year. And those two pricks are also lucky blokes, I tell you." Sicilia was always so honest. Having someone like that in your life is really great, since you know your relationship with them is genuine.

"So, who's winning?"

Peter turned his head and saw a smiling Rose, and next to her was Suzy. He shrugged, "Didn't pay attention, but it's obviously Lena by far."

"It's 18 to 5," Sicilia informed them.

Peter's eyes widened, "You were able to keep the count?" Even while reading and talking with him?

"Well, it's already great that Damon was able to score that much," Rose said while sitting next to Peter.

"Should we cheer for him a little?" Suzy suggested, sitting next to Rose.

Peter scoffed, "No, just leave him be." He then frowned at the two girls, "How come you're together, by the way?"

"We bumped into each other on the way," Rose answered simply. "And Scorpius isn't here yet? I thought he would've finished his practice already."

"Can't live without me now, can you?"

"Speak of the devil…" Peter rolled his eyes. It was an instinctive reaction.

They all turned their head to see Malfoy standing behind them, smirking arrogantly.

"Yeah, because I'm totally the kind of girl who can't bear being away from her boyfriend," Rose joked.

Luckily, Malfoy directly went to sit next to Sicilia. Peter couldn't have hold his disgusted expression if these two had kissed right next to him.

"I'm surprised Damon hasn't given up basketball yet," Malfoy remarked while watching the one-on-one match.

"I'm not. He looks like he's enjoying it," Sicilia replied.

"Well, he's actually quite good for a beginner," Rose pointed out. "He learns fast."

"That's mostly because Lena's a good teacher," Peter said.

Rose smirked teasingly, "Right. She did teach you too, after all. And that was not an easy task."

"You also play basketball, Peter?" Suzy asked nicely.

"I wouldn't go that far," Peter replied quietly, a little embarrassed. He'd once giving in Lena's unending babbling about how he should try to play basketball and let her train him a little, but he quickly got sick of blatantly losing against her and stopped.

"He caught an allergy to this game long ago," he was surprised to hear Lena comment.

She was walking towards them with Damon. They both were a little out of breath. Damon more than her. She stood in front of her friends, while Damon quickly sat on the bench.

"Are you done?" Peter asked, trying to change the subject.

She nodded, "Damon's knackered so it's no use playing anymore, and I'm also a little tired out."

Scorpius slapped Damon's back, smirking, "Aren't you ashamed to be like that when Lena looks like she still has enough energy to go run around the whole castle?"

Damon looked up, and said between two breaths, "To be ashamed, one should have some pride to begin with. Plus," he then pointed his chin at Lena and shook his head, "That girl isn't human, I swear."

Lena put her right hand on her waist, shaking her head while smiling.

xxxxx

That evening, Rose and Lena were sitting on Lena's bed as Rose was telling her that Lilith and Meredith could be the one who hexed her broom.

"Meredith? She's one of the quietest girls in Slytherin," Lena remarked, surprised.

Rose shrugged, "Chace told Suzy he saw her. But that's why we can't jump to conclusions and merely observe for now."

Lena nodded, "I understand. So we don't tell the boys before having more information?"

"That's right. I don't want to cause uproar for nothing."

Lena seemed to think about something, and then said, "But we could tell Sicilia. She's from their house and quite a good observer, she could really help us find the truth. And she definitely isn't the type to babble unnecessarily."

"I actually also thought about this. We'll try to talk to her tomorrow."

xxxxx

The next day, Rose watched discreetly Lilith Graves when she came into the Transfiguration classroom as if she owned the place. She was accompanied by Malicia Meyer.

Malicia Meyer was really gorgeous and popular, and yet Lilith took the entire spotlight when they were together. She did have peculiar and yet mesmerizing looks, mainly because of her eyes. Her right eye was light blue, and the left one was entirely ink black, with no white at all. Lilith used to wear an eye patch to cover it, but she dropped it only a few weeks after the beginning of their first year. Before, everyone was making assumptions about what was underneath the eye patch, so Lilith just snapped and snatched it away in front of the whole school, yelling she was fed up with that thing and that it was too inconvenient anyway (she could see very well with both of her eyes) and asked if everyone was happy. They weren't. They were afraid. And the topic changed from wondering what her problem was to telling stories on how she even made a mountain troll run away from her just by looking at him in the eyes. Since then, she only covers it during formal events or so. Many students feared her merely because of her "demon-like" eye, saying it reflected the colour of her heart and her soul.

Rose did not believe is that nonsense. It was merely a rare physical trait. She wondered why people would still be shocked about that kind of things in their world. But she had to admit it matched her personality. She sometimes wondered if it wasn't because of people's misconceptions that she became like that.

Her pale skin and long, straight dark brown – almost black – hair only accentuated her evil-like physique. Some said she was part-vampire, but she denied that fact.

But she probably liked the fear her appearance generated, and used it to rule over her housemates. The fact that her family was one of the richest in the wizarding world also helped. They did not take part in the Second Wizarding War as they were living in the United States when it took place, and therefore did not lose one single pence in it. Lilith was even called the Queen of Slytherins by some of her housemates. Rose rolled her eyes as the thought of this absurd title.

People in Hogwarts were far too fond of giving people nicknames. She herself was sometimes called the Golden Girl, or Princess of Gryffindor. She hated those names. Why did people have to put etiquettes on others? As if putting them into different houses according to their character wasn't enough already.

Anyway, she shouldn't lose focus and quickly went back to reality.

When Lilith and Malicia went to sit at the table in front of Scorpius and Damon, Lilith smirked and said in an awfully arrogant tone, "Hello, Scorpius."

Scorpius, who was talking to Damon, merely spared her a quick glance and said in a bored tone, "Hi." And he just kept talking to his best friend.

As far as Rose remembered, she'd never seen Scorpius pay any real attention to Lilith Graves, let alone show any fear towards her. They never looked like friends, but they never looked like enemies either. She wanted to ask him about her, but couldn't do it without raising suspicion. She will ask Sicilia later anyway.

Lilith didn't seem bothered by his cold response, probably used to it. When she looked towards Rose's direction, Rose quickly looked away in the most natural way possible. Even though she couldn't see it, she could still feel her glaring at her. But it wasn't new.

Lilith despised her since forever. Unlike with Scorpius, she actually decided she hated her even before talking to her. And also despite the fact they almost never had any arguments. The only really heated (no puns intended) argument they'd had resulted in Lilith trying to set Rose's hair on fire during class. Tried, indeed. Lilith was not one of the greatest students out there. In the end, she just burned her own wand instead of reaching her target.

Rose never understood why Lilith hated her. But it was probably just because of her name, as usual. But she never returned those feelings. Hating Scorpius took her enough energy already, she didn't need another popular Slytherin to despise and argue with. So, she just ignored the girl most of the time. Maybe it irked Lilith even more, not being the centre of attention for once.

Even Lena used to fear her when they were younger. Albus also admitted shivering the first time their eyes met. And Peter still didn't like to cross path with her.

She never targeted them, though. Probably because she liked to attack the weaker ones. The ones who couldn't or wouldn't dare to retaliate. And her prank on Rose – even if it was only a failed attempt –still earned her a little visit from James Potter, as he was also one of the few who'd never been the least afraid of her and showed it perfectly. It must've had the same effect as a cold shower on her, since she never tried anything again since then.

Well, not until recently. She apparently needed a new reminder.

If she was the real culprit, that is. Rose tried her best not to jump to conclusions and see proof where there wasn't any. She really had to talk with Sicilia later.

xxxxx

It was now lunchtime. Lena and Rose were sitting next to each other, and could watch Lilith and Meredith at their own table while talking normally with Albus and Peter. It was the first time they'd seen the two girls together today. During the whole time, they didn't notice any strange behaviour coming from either of the Slytherin students.

Once they were finished eating, they left and waited for Scorpius, Damon, Sicilia and Suzy in the corridor.

Suzy was the first one to join them, "So, we're going to the courtyard as usual?"

"Yep. We're just waiting for the others."

When the boys weren't paying attention, she slightly shook her head at Lena and Rose, signalling she didn't see anything suspicious.

"And we're here," Damon announced happily. "Let's go, I need some fresh air." He didn't even stop and just walked passed us.

"What's going on with him?" Rose asked Scorpius who'd stopped beside her.

Scorpius sighed, "He already spent the hour before lunch working with Belinda Pollington, and if he doesn't hurry she'll go after him."

"She's at it again, huh," Lena remarked, watching Damon who was already almost out of sight.

"Well, we should go too then, before she sees us and does the math," Albus pointed out, and started following Damon.

"Right. Or else we'll have to deal with her whining and clinging for a whole hour," Scorpius agreed and followed Albus' example.

"For once, I have to agree with him. Belinda's a pain," Peter added and went away. He then looked behind his shoulders and called the girls, "Aren't you coming?"

"We're right behind you, don't worry," Rose assured him with a smile.

He just nodded and walked faster to join the other boys. The four girls just walked behind them without hurrying.

"So, will one of you tell me what's going on?" Sicilia suddenly asked. "The three of you were watching our table a little too intensively before."

Rose smiled awkwardly, "Were we that obvious?"

"To others, probably not, so you don't have to worry."

Rose nodded slowly, hoping she was right, "Well, we wanted to ask you about it anyway. Chace Hannigan told Suzy that he heard Lilith Graves and Meredith Holloway say they were the ones who hexed my broom, and that they're trying to find something else against me."

"He also said it was because they were jealous of her relationship with Scorpius," Suzy added.

"Lilith and Meredith, huh. It's possible. Meredith is generally really quiet and stays out of trouble, but she's only recently started to hang out with Lilith and her attitude changed a bit."

"Do you think Lilith is manipulating her?" Lena asked.

Sicilia crossed her arms, thinking about it, "I can't be sure. Something seems off. Meredith is probably smarter than Lilith, so I don't really know how she could've been tricked into this." She then looked at the girls, "Did you find some proof?"

The three of them shook their head, and Suzy said, "Only what Chace told me, but we can't count it as real proof. And we started watching them only since this morning."

"I see. And what did he tell you exactly?"

"Only what Rose already told you. He didn't give me any more details."

"You should try to ask him again, if he can tell you what they said exactly, in case there are more clues," Sicilia advised.

Suzy nodded, "I'll try. It might be hard since he doesn't want to get involved, or probably even talk to me again, but I'll be persuasive," she ended the sentence with a smile.

"They might feel more comfortable in our Dungeon too, so I'll try to collect information here. And I think we should tell Damon too."

Lena frowned, "Damon? Really?"

Sicilia nodded, "Yes. He won't do anything and if I tell him not to, he won't tell Scorp' either. But he can help us get information from the other girls, especially Malicia who spends most of her time with Lilith, and is clearly interested in Damon. For once, his playboy ways may come in helpful."

"Can't you get information? You're also from their house," Rose said. She'd rather not involve any more people in this.

"I can observe. But I can't ask questions, it would be too unnatural from me. I barely ever talk to those girls," Sicilia explained.

Lena looked at Rose, "Well, I think it would be ok. I mean, he's a good talker and smart enough not to be caught."

Rose sighed, "Fine." She looked at Sicilia, "You can tell him."

They then finally joined the boys who were sitting on grass, next to the fountain, enjoying the nice weather for once.

"Merlin you girls are slow," Peter exclaimed, "I thought we'd already be in our next class before you got here."

Lena gave him an unamused look, "Very funny."

"I hate to say it but that crow's right. How come it took you so long? We didn't run or anything," Scorpius added.

"Would you please stop naming me after animals?" Peter rebuked.

"Sorry, reflex," Scorpius shrugged and smirked.

"Well, you should learn to control yourself and stop spitting your venom at me, _Scorpion_."

"If you actually had some common knowledge, you would've known that scorpions don't spit venom."

"Who the hell cares? I don't have wings or black feathers, and yet you called me a crow. Same difference."

That's how they started to argue and completely forgot about the girls. For once, Rose was happy they were so quick at getting angry at each other.

xxxxx

Later in the afternoon, Suzy was looking for Chace in the corridors. Petunia had already been suspicious enough when he went to talk to her last time, so she couldn't risk talking to him in their common room again.

She knew where his last lesson of the day was taking place, and was waiting for him not far from here. Luckily, he was walking alone when he went out of the classroom. She quickly took him by the arm and pulled him into another corridor, less frequently used by students at that hour.

Chace looked pleased, until he saw her face. His smile dropped in a mere second, "I usually like to be pulled in small corners by girls, but that is not the case right now. What do you want, Suzy?"

She looked around, making sure no one was listening, and then replied, "I'd like you to tell me what you heard Lilith and Meredith say exactly."

He sighed heavily, "I told you about it because I wanted to stay out of this, remember? Lilith's trouble. I don't want to be on her blacklist."

"But don't you want to be in Rose's good books again?" Suzy smirked.

He scoffed, "I'm not that stupid. That won't ever happen. If you didn't notice, she totally hates my guts." He then also looked around, and even though there wasn't anyone, he still lowered his voice as he said, "And I'm not sure talking secretly to you will help my case with Potter. I already saw how protective he was with his cousin, I don't want to know how he is when it comes to his girlfriend."

"Then, just tell me quickly and I'll let you go," she pushed, starting to lose her patience. "The longer we talk, the higher is the chance for someone to see us."

"You're right," he realized, "Then. This talk's over." He suddenly stated and started to walk away.

Suzy quickly grabbed his wrist, trying to keep him from going, "Wait!" She yelled quietly. "Chace, please. Stay now, and I won't bother you anymore. I promise."

He squinted at her, "You said you'd leave me alone the last time already."

She sighed and let go of his wrist. It was harder than she thought. She crossed her arms and looked away, "Fine, you can go." Just when she felt his happiness, she added, "But since you won't tell me, Rose might want to go ask you herself. And she'll probably ask less nicely." She didn't really like to use Rose as the bad cop, but weirdly enough, Chace seemed to be afraid of her, so it was the only solution.

She feigned to walk away when he quickly put himself in front of her, his hands in a placating manner, "Stop! I'll tell you, I'll tell you! What do you want to know?"

Suzy chuckled, smirking in victory. He must be _really_ scared of Rose.

"Great. First, did they say anything about their next plan?"

Chace thought about it, "Well, Lilith seemed to want to just go attack Rose head-on, but Meredith told her they should be smarter this time, and suggested to go back to the Slytherin Dungeon to think about something. That's all."

"Meredith is indeed the one with the brains here," Suzy thought out loud. Sicilia was right. Not that she was surprised by that, Suzy had noticed Sicilia's observing skills after spending some time with her.

"Well, Lilith only knows how to terrify people, so she's not really the subtle kind," Chace remarked with a shrug. He then focussed again and asked, "Can I go now?"

Suzy sighed, "You're such a tiresome witness. No, not yet. Can you tell me if they explicitly admitted being the culprits?"

"They clearly said they made the situation even worse, and then Lilith complained about how he'd charged down to save her, and that she should've directly hexed her. They didn't say the names or anything, but they were complaining about how Rose and Scorpius were close during class a few seconds before. I believe it's not hard to do the math. Plus, Lilith was boiling, telling Meredith she didn't care if she was the greatest witch of our year or if she had her cousins as bodyguards, she'd just crush her."

Suzy tilted her head, agreeing, "It seems clear enough, and you're right, there's not much room for misunderstanding here."

"See? That's everything I heard, I can't help you anymore than this."

Suzy smiled at him, "That's already good enough, thank you. I promise I won't bother you anymore with this now. You can go."

He pointed his finger at her, "Don't forget you promised. I'm completely free now, ok?"

She nodded while letting out a sigh, "Yes, you definitely are, I keep my promises. See you around, then."

xxxxx

Albus didn't know what to think. Suzy had been strange since a few days, and he had the bad feeling that she was keeping something from him. She'd space out, or answer vaguely when he'd talk to her. When he asked her if she'd had a good day, she'd avoid his eyes and smile awkwardly. Things like that.

So, he wasn't proud about this, but he followed her a bit. And saw her go talk to Chace, alone, looking around as if she didn't want to be caught.

He couldn't hear a thing, and that's when he wished he knew a spell for that. Chace didn't look pleased, and tried to leave, but Suzy held him back. When it didn't seem to work either, she said something with a smirk to make him change his mind. It looked like blackmail, but Albus couldn't picture her doing something like that. Then again, he didn't picture her dragging Chace bloody Hannigan in a quiet place, either.

Albus did not want to let his mind work on its own, and begin to come to strange conclusions. He had to confront her about this. As soon as possible.

But not now. Now would be admitting he'd followed her like a crazy and possessive boyfriend, and now wouldn't let him the time to think rationally.

Later. After dinner. Yeah. That'll do.

xxxxx

"Hey, mate, you're alright?" Peter asked Albus, who was just spacing out instead of eating since he'd sat at the dinner table.

Albus merely glanced at him, and uttered, "Huh? Ah, hm. I'm fine."

Peter gave him a look, "Come on, you even have less vocabulary than me right now. Something's up, I can tell."

"What's up?" Rose asked as she and Lena joined the table and sat across them.

"Nothing," Albus denied.

Peter looked at the girls, "Definitely something. But he won't tell me what."

Albus was back to staring into space.

"There's something, indeed," Lena said before asking Albus, "What is it? Did you fight with Suzy or something?"

Peter saw Albus tense up at Suzy's name. And he probably wasn't the only one, as Lena went on but in a sweeter voice, "So that's it. What happened?"

Albus shook his head, "We didn't fight. It's nothing. Probably."

"Just spill it already," Peter was losing his patience. And he was getting awfully curious too.

"Peter," Lena and Rose both glared at him. Girls and their sensibility, really.

Albus sighed, and straightened up, finally snapping out of it, "Don't you think Suzy's been acting a little strange lately?"

"Maybe it's her bad week," Peter let out without thinking.

"Peter!" Lena and Rose barked at him.

"Sorryy!" he put his hands up a little. Albus wasn't the only one who needed to chill out.

"So, what do you mean by strange?" Rose asked carefully.

"I don't really know, it's just a feeling. But that's ok. I'll talk to her later. I'm sure it's nothing." He looked at Rose and Lena, begging them silently to agree, "It's probably nothing, right? I'm just being paranoid, right?"

Lena and Rose exchanged a look, and then Rose said with a small smile, "I'm sure it is."

Peter frowned. What's with their guilty expression right now? But maybe he imagined it. And even if they did know something, he'd rather stay ignorant. At least until Albus knew first.

xxx

At the Slytherin table, Sicilia was keeping a constant eye on Lilith and Meredith, but she still hadn't detected anything suspicious from them. She was starting to doubt Hannigan's words, even though she didn't see any reason for him to lie about this. There was nothing he could win from this situation.

"Come on mate, you could have some compassion," Damon went on complaining. All he had talked about since they were eating was how annoying and scary and pushy was Belinda Pollington. "Or at least feel a little guilty. When I help you get a really nice girlfriend, you just throw me out in the lion's cage. And that lion is everything but magnificent."

Scorpius was losing his patience and said rather coldly, "If you want, I can hex so that you'll sleep until the day of your presentation."

Damon pouted his mouth in a displeased manner, "I didn't miss that."

Scorpius frowned, "What?"

"You being a real prick," he clarified, "Are you in a bad mood?"

"Headaches tend to put me in a bad mood, and you're giving me one right now. So yes, I guess I'm in a bad mood,yes," he retorted while massaging his temples, while closing his eyes.

"You're sure there's nothing else?" Sicilia asked. Scorpius wouldn't usually get angry at Damon like that for his childish complains. When he didn't answer, she insisted, "Scorpius."

He finally reopened his eyes and looked at her, "It's just a headache." He then looked at Damon, "And to be honest, I had it before you started your complaining-marathon, so it's not entirely your fault. I was too harsh."

Damon smirked, "Don't sweat it. I won't cry because you yelled at me."

Scorpius chuckled, but frowned in pain as his head seemed to hurt again.

"You know what? I think I'll just go lie down a bit. I can't take all that noise anymore," he informed while standing up.

"Later," Damon replied in a laid-back manner, while Sicilia merely nodded. She was thinking about getting him some medication, but she'll do that later if he doesn't get better. Right now, she had to watch Lilith and Meredith.

xxx

"What's going on? Something's wrong with Malfoy, too?" Peter suddenly remarked, pointing his chin towards the exit. "It's not even the full moon."

Rose turned her head and saw Scorpius leaving the Great Hall. And he did not seem well.

"Maybe he's sick," Lena guessed.

Rose slowly stood up, "I'll go talk to him. I've finished eating anyway. See you later."

She calmly walked towards the exit of the Great Hall, but accelerated her pace as soon as she was out of the other students' sight, taking the way to the Slytherin Dungeon, hoping he was heading there.

She didn't need much time to find him, since he hadn't left too long before her. And she noticed he was walking slower than usual, his back bent and his hand on his head.

"Scorpius!" She called.

He stopped, and turned his head. Judging by his expression, he was in pain. She'd never seen him like that.

"Rose…" he uttered quietly.

She hurried towards him, putting her hands on his face, worried, "What's wrong?"

He looked so worn out. And he was even paler than normally.

He gave her a faint smile, "You're cute when you're worried, you know."

She slightly pushed his arm, not finding this funny, "Be a little serious, will you?"

He straightened up, and assured her, "'T's just a headache."

"Doesn't seem like a regular headache to me," she argued.

"Well it aggravated because of everyone's being madly loud at dinner. I'll just lie down for a bit and it'll be ok," he replied. "See? I'm already getting better." He then raised his eyebrows and lean in a little, "But maybe that's because you're here. Want to accompany me?"

"Of course I will accompany you. I will not leave you alone like this," she told him.

He looked a little taken aback, "You do realize I'm going to my dormitory, right? In the Slytherin Dungeon."

"So what? Lena already went there a few times."

He chuckled, "I don't know if you're more innocent than you look, or less."

She shook her head, and started pulling him along with her, "Shut up and just walk."

"I said I'm fi–" He stopped in mid-sentence as he was once again in great pain, holding his head in his two hands and stumbling a little. It lasted a few seconds.

He then looked up only to meet Rose's 'told-you-so' expression, "What were you saying again?"

He pushed her away, yelling, "Stop acting all that mighty already!"

Rose's eyes widened slightly, taken aback by his sudden change of mood, but decided not to let it get to her. She crossed her arms and told him calmly, "And you say _I_'m bipolar."

"Right. You're bipolar, and awfully bossy. And I don't need that right now," he went on coldly.

She sighed, trying not to let his words get to her, as it was probably only the pain – and maybe his pride mixed with it – talking. "You're right. I am bossy. And that's why I'll just accompany you, whether you like it or not." She grabbed his arm and put his right hand on her shoulder, "You once said I was stronger that I looked, so let go of your silly pride and just lean on me, understood?"

He seemed to calm down and regain his senses. He smiled slightly, "Understood. And sorry, I don't what just possessed me."

"Would you prefer going to the hospital wing?" She simply asked him as they were walking again.

He shook his head, "I've spent enough time there already. Plus, the Dungeon is closer."

"Alright, then," she didn't insist and just kept going.

xxxxx

When Albus finally saw Suzy get up from her seat, he stood up as well and walked quickly towards her.

"Right, see you later," he heard Peter call with a hint of sarcasm.

Albus merely waved his hand at him without turning back.

When Suzy noticed him, she excused herself to her friends and walked also towards him, a worried expression on her face. Once she was in front of him, she asked, "Is something wrong? I saw Scorpius and Rose leave."

"Scorpius didn't seem to feel well, and Rose went to check on him," he replied hurriedly, before putting his hand on her shoulder, "Can we… Go somewhere else? I'd like to talk to you about something."

Suzy frowned, "You're acting strange. What's up?"

"Let's go first," he told her while leading her in a farther corridor.

When he stopped, she asked, "So? What's going on?"

He sighed as he stood right in front of her, "Listen… It's been a few days since I have the feeling you're hiding something from me. So, I'd like to know if I'm just being completely paranoid or not."

The guilty smile on her face wasn't a good sign. She took a deep breath and answered, "You are not paranoid."

"So, what are you not telling me?" He inquired.

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you right now."

"You can't, or you don't want to?" He unwillingly narrowed his eyes at her, remembering how she was acting around Chace.

"I can't," she said without blinking.

"Does it have something to do with a git named Chace Hannigan?" He couldn't help asking.

She frowned, a little surprised, but quickly recovered and said, "Not anymore."

"What does that even mean?" He was even more lost than before.

"Just what I said. But I am curious to know how you came to that conclusion," she gave him a look and crossed her arms.

Albus looked away, "Someone saw you two alone this afternoon."

Suzy rolled her eyes, "People should mind their own business. We can't even have a little chat with a fellow student of our house anymore now or what?"

"Well, it didn't look like a simple _little chat_," he remarked.

She raised her eyebrow at him, suspicious, "And how do _you_ know what it looked like, if it was someone else who told you about it?"

Albus widened his eyes, realizing his mistake. "They… Described how you clung to him."

"And who told you that?" She went on right after he answered.

Think. Quick. "Julius."

"Julius? The one who's friends with Chace and believed that Scorpius was the one behind Rose's fall during the game?"

Albus cursed himself for being that stupid. But still answered, "Well, yes. If he's friends with him, why would he lie?"

She opened her mouth and nodded slowly, as if she'd got his point, "Oh, I see. So, you're saying you'd rather believe him right away instead of thinking it was probably nonsense." That sounded awfully sarcastic. "I thought you were smarter than that, and wouldn't believe everything people said."

"I saw you, ok?!" He finally snapped. And he silently cursed himself again.

She smirked, looking more amused and proud to have made him spill the truth rather than angry at him, "So, you followed me?"

He looked away and muttered a small "Yes." He then looked at her with a little more confidence, "But in my defence, I was right, you were hiding something from me."

Suzy sighed, "And instead of just asking me, you decided to secretly follow me, and ended up getting the wrong idea, am I right?"

He lowered his head a little, "I didn't think." He quickly looked up and went on, "But I did not make some strange conclusions, I swear. I wanted to hear your explanation first."

She nodded while pouting her lips, "Fine. As long as you trust me, it's ok." She then pointed her finger at him as a warning, "But next time you want to know something, don't play the spy and just go talk to me about it." She then smiled at him.

He smiled back. But then remembered he still hadn't had that explanation, "So… I swear it's the last question and then I'll stop, but... Why were you acting like that with Hannigan?"

"I needed his help for something, but he wasn't really willing to help. And when trying to convince him didn't work… I kind of scared him by mentioning your family," she grinned innocently.

He raised his eyebrows, amused, "So you did blackmail him." He then put his hands on her waist, "Well, I do not mind. I'm actually happy I indirectly helped you with that git."

She smiled and gave him a quick kiss, "I had the feeling you wouldn't mind."

xxxxx

Rose led Scorpius into his dormitory as he indicated her where it was. He was getting more and more tired because of the pain.

"Where's your bed?" She asked him.

He chuckled, "Such a direct girl."

Rose sighed, "Again. Not the time to joke. So?"

He pointed his chin towards his bed, and they walked towards it.

"Is it getting worse?"

He lied down, while she was just sitting on the side of the bed. He replied, "Yep. But it should be ok now. I just need to rest."

She merely nodded.

He stared at her, an amused expression on his face, "Aren't you going to leave?"

She shook her head, "Not until Sicilia or Damon get here."

"I probably won't be able to sleep with you staring at me like that, you know," he smirked.

"Alright," she said while turning away.

He chuckled, "I didn't mean it like that. You look too uncomfortable, it's bothering me. At least lie down a bit."

She sighed and got up, "Fine, I'll just go on Damon's bed, it's right next to yours, right?" But she felt him grab her arm to stop her.

She turned her head and saw him smirking, "Do you really think I'll let you go on someone else's bed?" He then moved a little more on the side and patted the free space on his own bed, "Come here."

She did as he said, and lied down on the side, facing him. He was lying on his back, wrapped his left arm around her, and pulled her closer. She instinctively put her head and one hand on his chest closing her eyes.

"Ah, I already feel better," she heard him say.

She smiled, "You're such an opportunist."

"But you don't mind it, am I right?"

She snuggled a little more into his chest, getting more comfortable, "Just sleep already."

"Alright."

xxxxx

Rose woke up when she heard some noise. She slowly opened her eyes and straightened up. Scorpius was still asleep. She smiled a little while looking at him, before turning her head to see what had woken her up.

She saw Sicilia coming towards them, holding a small bottle. Sicilia nodded to her as a hello, probably because she'd noticed Scorpius was still sleeping.

Rose stood up carefully, and went to her.

"Madam Pomfrey gave me this, it's a potion to cure bad headaches," Sicilia informed her, almost whispering.

"You're really thoughtful," Rose said. Especially when it's for Scorpius, she thought.

Sicilia looked over Rose's shoulder, "Is he better?"

"It seems ok now that he's sleeping. Then, I'll go now," she smiled politely and started to walk away.

"Wait, I'll go with you," she offered and followed her outside the dormitory. The common room was still empty, only Damon was here. She mustn't have slept a long time since the others were probably still at the Great Hall.

"So? Can I enter my own dormitory or what?" He complained.

"Yes, you can. But Scorpius is sleeping, so be careful," Sicilia pointed out. "I'll accompany Rose. So if he wakes up in the meantime, tell him what the bottle on his bedside table is."

He sighed, "Aren't you spoiling him too much? It's just a headache."

"You didn't see how bad he felt because of that," Rose remarked, "It wasn't a little headache."

He stood up, giving in, "He's such a lucky prick, having you two taking care of him. But fine, he's my best friend after all. Of course I'd never bother him in a situation like that. You do not want to have him wake up in a bad mood, believe me."

Rose smiled, "See you tomorrow, then."

"I'll come back quickly," Sicilia informed him.

They finally left the Slytherin Dungeon, and were heading towards the Gryffindor Tower.

"You didn't have to accompany me, you know," Rose told her.

"I know. I just wanted to talk to you a little."

Rose tensed up a bit, "Is it about Lilith and Meredith?"

Sicilia shook her head, "I didn't notice anything from them yet. Lena said she'd still watch them until they go back to the Dungeon."

Rose nodded, "Then what do you want to talk about?"

"I realized I hadn't apologized to you."

Rose frowned, not following her, "Apologize for what?"

"For making you think I was in love with Scorpius. Even though everything I said was true, I still said it in a purposely misleading way," she explained.

"Misleading?" Rose repeated. So, she really didn't like him like that?

Sicilia nodded, "I knew you'd probably think it was Scorpius, and hoped it would help you realize how you felt about him."

"Well, you thought right," Rose chuckled. "You're really good."

"So, just to make things clear. I care a lot about Scorpius, he's one of the most important people in my life. But he's like my brother, only we're not blood related. I've not even once felt anything else for him. You therefore don't need to worry about me."

Rose's eyes widened. She'd noticed? She chuckled on her own, of course she'd noticed. If anyone would notice, it would be her. "So you noticed, huh?"

"I do tend to remark those things more easily than others," Sicilia said.

Rose nodded, and then realized something, "But if you really didn't lie. Does that mean you like someone else?"

Sicilia merely nodded.

"But I directly thought about Scorpius because you said he's a great friend of yours and never serious about anyone until recently, who else could possibly fit that…" She realized who else it could be while talking, and finished her sentence slowly, "…description."

Sicilia slightly smiled, "I believe you just found out on your own."

Rose was surprised, "So, it was him? Why didn't I think about this earlier?"

"You were probably too busy thinking about Scorpius for that. That was what I was counting on, too."

"So, the girl you were talking about is Lena?"

"Yes," she simply answered. "I'd appreciate it if you don't her that, though. You and Scorpius are the only ones who know, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Of course, I understand."

xxxxx

"Good morning, sunshine!" Damon exclaimed when he saw Scorpius waking up the next morning. "So, how you're doing?"

"Fine, until you called me _sunshine_," he grumbled.

Damon smirked, "Ok. You really seem fine."

Scorpius looked around, and saw the potion on his bedside table. He frowned, "What's that?"

"A potion to cure bad headaches that Sicilia brought for you. But since you didn't wake up until now, and look ok, it's probably become useless." He stretched out, "Well, Rose must've been a really good nurse. 'Cause you were sleeping like a baby when I came here."

"What do you mean a good nurse? She was as bossy and annoying as ever," Scorpius spat.

Damon frowned at his cold behaviour, "You're lucky she didn't hear you talk like that. I know you're not a morning person, but try to be in a better mood when you see her."

"How can I be in a better mood if I see her? I hate her guts," he retorted.

"Since when a headache can give you amnesia? It's been a long time since you stopped hating her. I'm not even sure you ever did," Damon tried to talk some sense into his friend, who was acting overly strange.

"Don't be silly. I'm not an amnesic. I know we're together," Scorpius assured him. And Damon felt relieved, until Scorpius added, "I just realized I must've been mental for quite a long time to think I actually felt something for her. But now I'm back to normal, and finally remember how much I hate that girl."

Damon just stared at him, blinking, "What did you just say?"

"Are you deaf or just doing it on purpose? I hate her, and always have. And that's never going to change," Scorpius said without hesitating and he sounded really serious. "Now let's go, I'm starving."

As he just stood there and watched Scorpius leave the room, Damon asked to himself, "What the hell just happened?"


	20. Chapter 20

I am so sorry for taking such a long time to publish this chapter after such a cliffhanger. I initially planned to finish it quick but I struggled more than I expected, and then I just became busy like crazy. I won't tell you my whole life, but just imagine me studying in France, but going for a semester in Germany, while seeking an internship in yet another country for the next one, and all the (paper)work that includes.

Oh and also, I've been trying to keep the number of mistakes to the minimum on my own, but some of you have mentioned that having a beta would be a good idea. I agree with that, but I currently don't have one as I don't personally know anyone who could do that for me. And I know I should've asked earlier, but if someone here wants and thinks they can be my beta, please feel free to send me a PM.

Anyway, I apologize once again for the late update, and I hope you'll like this new chapter.

xxxxx

* * *

xxxxx

**Chapter 20:**

Sicilia was quietly waiting for Scorpius and Damon in their common room. Scorpius was the first to come down.

"Are you feeling better?" She asked him.

Scorpius nodded, "I'd even say I've never felt better."

Sicilia then saw Damon coming down, while making strange hand signs, pointing at Scorpius and trying to communicate silently in a very silly way. What was wrong?

Once Damon was next to them, he smiled in an obviously forced way and exclaimed, "Mate, you could've waited for me!"

Scorpius shrugged, "I thought you were following me. Plus, it's not like I went far away."

"Well, I was a little too shocked to move," Damon pointed out, widening his eyes at Sicilia.

She sighed, "Just tell me what's going on."

"Our great friend right here, just said he hated Rose. Like hate hate," Damon finally explained.

Sicilia frowned and looked at Scorpius, "Did I miss something?"

"Yes, the moment you should've told me I was going mad," Scorpius replied far too seriously.

"Why are you saying that?"

"Because it's the truth. Now can you please get over it and let me go eat something?" He replied in a bored and annoyed tone.

Sicilia quickly gave in and let out a sigh, "Fine. Let's go." She made a sign telling Scorpius to go first, and she followed him quietly.

Damon hurried next to her, "Wait, you're just going to let it go like that? Something's obviously wrong with him."

"I have an idea of what's going on, and talking to him in that state won't help," she explained calmly. It was probably some kind of Hate potion, but it wasn't strong enough and took far too long to work to be the usual one. She'll go consult Professor Hazebrown as soon as possible.

"You know who did that to him?" He inquired.

She nodded, "I have a good idea. Even though I don't know how they did it." They had been watching Lilith and Meredith the whole day and they still didn't see anything. She really hoped there wasn't anyone else involved, or that the two girls were in fact a decoy. But she didn't really think they would target Scorpius instead of Rose. She sighed, "I was foolish."

They left the common room, Scorpius still walking ahead of them.

"Care to explain?" Damon pushed, getting impatient.

She glanced at him, "Later. I can't leave him alone like this, and I have to warn Rose first."

"I think you're too late," Damon remarked, pointing his chin at Rose who was walking towards Scorpius. She'd probably been waiting for them, worried about him.

Before Sicilia or Damon could do something, she was already in front of Scorpius, smiling slightly, "You look better."

Scorpius crossed his arms, and smirked coldly, "Miss Perfect was worried about me, huh?" He then dropped the smile and went on, "It makes me sick."

Her eyes widened for about a second as she naturally hadn't seen that reaction coming, but her face quickly showed a neutral expression, "I take that back. You're obviously not better, saying things like that again."

Again? She hadn't said anything about that yesterday.

He smirked again, "On the contrary. I feel great because I finally allowed myself to say them. Being together with you was the biggest mistake I've ever made, and it's about time I correct it."

Rose crossed her arms and chuckled dryly, her jaw tensed, obviously trying to stay calm and not believing what he was saying, "Biggest mistake, huh? Let me guess, this realization came to you when you woke up this morning? Because it didn't look that way at all yesterday."

"Please don't remind me that. I intend to eat," he spat acidly.

Damon hurried towards them, put his hands on both Scorpius' shoulders and pushed him ahead, "That's why we should hurry up. Getting angry just before eating will give you an upset stomach."

But Rose stopped Damon, "Wait." She put herself in front of Scorpius and asked him, "Do you hate anyone else other than me?"

Scorpius did not hesitate one millisecond and spat, "I do not hate anyone as much as I hate you, that's for sure."

Rose let out a small sigh, but did not break eye-contact with him as she declared, "I understand." She then looked at Sicilia, "How about we go see Professor Hazebrown?"

Sicilia nodded slightly, "The faster, the better."

Scorpius frowned at Sicilia, "Why would you do that? And with _her _on top of that?"

"Your sudden change of heart is clearly not natural. So Rose must've come to the same conclusion as me, which is that someone somehow administered some kind hate potion to you," Sicilia calmly explained.

Scorpius scoffed loudly, "Yeah, right. Sorry, but I do not need magic's help to see how I hate absolutely everything about that girl."

Sicilia wanted to say something, seeing how Rose was trying hard not to snap right now, but she knew it was useless as long as he was in this state.

Damon, though, still gave it a shot, "As your best friend, I have to say that you're spouting complete nonsense right now."

Scorpius growled, "A few months ago everyone knew we hated each other. Why does it seem so unbelievable right now?"

Damon glanced at Rose's hardened face, and exclaimed, "Alright. Time to go see our lovely model Professor."

But Scorpius pushed him away, getting angry, "I am not under the effects of a potion or a spell, understood?"

"If you come with us at Professor Hazebrown's office and she says you're not, we'll believe it. It'll be the fastest and easiest way to end this argument," Sicilia reasoned.

Scorpius sighed, apparently giving in, "Fine. But let's make this quick, the more time I spend around her the more I feel filthy," he finished while glaring at Rose.

Rose didn't respond and just started walking, her arms crossed. She briefly turned around when she noticed they weren't following her, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Heard him? Let's go, there's no time to waste."

xxxxx

"What do you mean, not under a potion's effects?" Damon exclaimed, not believing what Professor Hazebrown had just said. "Can't you see he's totally lost his mind, and that just after having some random headache. It _has_ to be magic."

"See? That's what I told you. Can I go eat now?" Scorpius pushed impatiently.

"You two, just wait for her to finish her explanation," Sicilia rebuked calmly. She glanced at Rose, who still had her poker face on.

Professor Hazebrown smiled slightly at Sicilia, "Thank you." She then looked at the four students, "I only said he did not swallow up a potion. But I do believe there is some magic behind this phenomenon."

Damon threw a proud and arrogant 'Told-you-so' look at Scorpius, who just scoffed and muttered, "Nonsense."

"If it's not a hate potion, what is it then?" Rose asked. It was the first time she'd spoken up since they went here.

"Judging by the headaches and the slow process, it reminds me of a case I saw a few years ago. I was modelling, and one of my co-workers back then was the favourite girl of the photograph we were working for. Another model got really jealous, and the next day the photograph hated his favourite girl. He had had the same symptoms as Scorpius. We later found out that the jealous model had used some declined version of a hate potion called _detesterium_, but instead of giving it directly to him, she'd dipped some grape in it and gave it to him. But I'm a little surprised someone in this school knows a potion like that, even back then it took a long time to figure out what it was as it is not very well known."

"What I hear is that it's very unlikely that someone used that on me, and that the only connection is a headache, which is not that weird to have from time to time. Can't you just accept I decided that on my own?" Scorpius reasoned. "Just the fact that I can think clearly like that should convince you. People under potions' effect usually act like crazy people. I saw how was Damon when Miranda Montenegro slipped a Love Potion into his drink two years ago, and that was not pretty."

"Mate! We agreed on never speaking about that again," Damon exclaimed, embarrassed.

"This is why it is so difficult to prove the person has really been tricked or not. The fact that this potion works only if it is on something eatable, and is therefore a very much smaller dose that an actual Hate Potion makes its effects a lot more subtle. The photograph would also behave normally to everyone but the model he'd used to favour. The only thing that made people suspicious was that he'd started hating her for no reason, and would be totally unreasonable when it came to her."

"And how was he cured?" Rose asked.

Professor Hazebrown let out a small sigh, looking sympathetically at her as she said, "That's also quite bothersome. There is no known cure. Usually, we use a Love Potion to undo the effects of a Hate potion, but we can't use this as the effects of this version aren't too strong, and giving a Love potion would be too much. And before you ask, no, there is no equivalent of this version in terms of Love potions."

"What?! So he's going to stay like this?" Damon exclaimed.

"Let her finish," Sicilia rebuked him once more.

"No, he's going to go back to normal. For that photograph, it took a week for the effects to dissolve. I'm sorry, but we cannot do anything about this until then."

"So, if I'm still like this in a week, it'll mean that's the real me and not a potion talking right?" Scorpius clarified.

"Well, it depends on people. It can be less than a week, or more. The longest time registered was about a month I think," she quickly looked at Rose, trying to reassure her, "But that was only one person. Most of the others were fine after around a week."

"Is there something to make him heal faster? Like a trigger?" Sicilia enquired.

Professor Hazebrown shook her head, "Not that I know of. But I'm not too informed on the subject, I will make some extra research and tell you if I find something."

"So, what do we do with him now? We just let him wander around even though he's under a spell?"

"Please don't talk as if I was some kind of mad person," Scorpius retorted to Damon.

"Well, you are a little mad right now. And people were finally starting to stop talking about you two, it'll be such a mess again," he replied.

"Who cares? I just won't stay locked somewhere until I just decide I don't hate little Miss annoyingly Perfect over there," Scorpius spat.

"I'm sorry to say that he's right. You'll just have to go to class like usual and bear with it until the effects are gone," Professor Hazebrown advised them.

"Great, that solves the problem then. Let's go now," Scorpius concluded.

"How does it solve anything?" Damon said out of frustration.

"There's no point arguing any further, Damon. Let's just go have breakfast," Rose said, sounding tired.

He hesitated, but finally gave in, "Fine, if you say so."

Scorpius gave him a look, "Since when you listen more to _her_ rather than me?"

"Since you're not thinking clearly because someone fed you something strange."

"This is getting annoying. You cannot be sure," Scorpius insisted.

"Oh yes I can," Damon assured him.

"Boys, I believe Professor Hazebrown has better things to do than listening to your arguing." Finding a way to solve this faster, for example. Sicilia then put her hands on their backs and pushed them slightly, "Let's leave now."

As they were leaving, Professor Hazebrown called, "Wait Sicilia, can you stay one more minute with Rose, please?"

She told the boys to go on without them and went back.

"So, I have to ask this. Do you have any idea of who could have done that?" She asked them.

Rose and Sicilia exchanged a look. And Rose shook her head, "We don't. We didn't witness anything strange yesterday, either."

"You neither, Sicilia?"

She also shook her head, "I really don't know how this happened."

A tight smile appeared on Professor Hazebrown's face, "Alright, but if you find something, please tell me. I will not approve of such underhanded methods being used in this school, and if another student really did this, they'll have to be punished."

"We understand," Rose told her.

Professor Hazebrown nodded slightly and put her hand on Rose's shoulder in a reassuring way, "You may leave now. And eat something," she still pointed out.

"Yes, Professor," Rose assured her with a small smile.

xxxxx

"You're sure you didn't eat anything strange yesterday, or that no one gave you anything to eat or drink?"

Scorpius sighed heavily, "I told you I did not. Do you also want a detailed list of everything I ate or drank yesterday?"

"That'd be helpful," Damon agreed.

Scorpius rolled his eyes, "I was being sarcastic. Are you going to be that annoying until I say I don't hate Weasley anymore?"

Damon briefly thought about it, "Probably."

"Why do you even care so much? Even Miss Perfect seems less affected than you. Guess she didn't really like me, either. Good grief, I'm better without her following me everywhere trying to convince me that's not the real me talking."

Damon was overly annoyed because of his best friend right now. He knew it wasn't his fault, but he couldn't help wanting to smash some sense into him. "Do you even realise what you are saying? It's obvious that Rose is doing her best not to break down since you've been like that. And I care because I know you, and I don't want you to regret everything you said and will say until you're back to normal."

Scorpius scoffed, "Like hell I'd regret it. Like I said over and over, I am not being influenced by anything magical. Not that you'd believe me, though."

"How do you want me to believe you when not later than yesterday night Sicilia saw you sleeping like a baby with Rose by your side?"

"I was out of my mind. Anyway, magic involved or not, I will obviously not change my mind. So can we just stop talking about this?"

Damon sighed once again, "Fine. It's putting me in a bad mood anyway."

xxxxx

"They sure are taking their time to come," Albus remarked, talking about Rose and their Slytherin friends.

"I hope it's not because something's wrong," Lena said, glancing once more at the Great Hall entrance.

"You're worrying too much. Nothing serious could've happened," Peter assured her.

"I hope so." She now glanced towards the Slytherin table, where Lilith and Meredith were sitting. At least, she didn't have to worry about those two right now.

"See? They're here," Peter remarked, pointing his chin at the Great Hall entrance.

Lena turned her head and saw Scorpius and Damon. Damon didn't seem in a really good mood, but Scorpius looked ok, and he briefly nodded at us to say hello before going to their own table. Lena frowned, "Why isn't Rose with them?"

"Maybe she's with Sicilia, she's not here either," Albus reasoned.

And he was right, a little moment later the two girls came in. Sicilia went to her table, while Rose walked towards them, a neutral expression on her face. She sat next to Albus.

"So, what's up? I thought you went to see Scorpius, why did you end up coming alone with Sicilia?" He asked her.

She took a slice of bread and started putting jam on it as she casually explained, "Long story short: Scorpius woke up hating me. We went to see Professor Hazebrown and she said it was some kind of twisted version of a hate potion called _detesterium_, that there was no cure and that we could only wait until the effects would stop on their own, which would take probably around a week." She then took a bite out of her piece of bread as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Her three friends blinked a few times, processing the information.

Lena was the first to speak up, "And you're fine with that?"

Rose looked at her and said calmly, "Well, I'm not _fine_ with it, but it's not like I can do anything about it."

"Well, it's not like you never had to deal with a Malfoy despising you," Peter remarked.

Lena hit his arm, "That's totally different now."

Rose shook her head, "No, he's right. I survived his taunting for over 5 years, I can deal with one week like this knowing it is not even the real him talking."

"You don't have to act all strong, you know," Albus pointed out.

"It's not like crying or shouting at him would help him going back to normal sooner," she replied.

"No, but it'd probably help you," Lena told her.

"I'm alright, really. Reacting to this really bad prank would only mean the ones who did it won."

"And who could have done this, by the way?" Albus asked.

"Anyone who doesn't like my relationship with Scorpius could've done it. And the list is quite long."

So, Rose still didn't want to tell them about Lilith and Meredith. But Lena also thought like that. After all, they'd watched them all the day yesterday and something like that still happened. It may not be them after all, or maybe someone else was involved. In any case, it was better not to tell the boys just yet.

xxxxx

Later in the afternoon, Lena and Rose were hanging out outside. They didn't have any class with the Slytherins today so it wasn't too hard to avoid Scorpius, but now that the classes of the day were all finished, Albus decided to take Scorpius – and Peter, much to the latter's displeasure – with him so that he wouldn't stay near Rose.

Rose knew it was for her own sake, and also to avoid people noticing Scorpius actually hated her, as they decided not to tell anyone unless they had to. But still, she was annoyed with the fact that she had to avoid seeing her own boyfriend.

Suzy then joined them, "I heard from Albus. It's those two girls' doing, right? How did they manage to do that?" She also looked a little pissed.

Rose sighed, "We have no idea. Our best guesses are they aren't the ones who did it, or at least have someone else involved, or that they were extra careful and managed to give something to eat to him without us knowing. After all, we were so focussed on me being a target that we didn't think they'd trick Scorpius."

"It's Lilith we're talking about. She never even thought of avoiding having witnesses when she'd attack someone," Suzy argued.

Lena shrugged, "That may be why she pulled Meredith into this. She's quite a smart girl."

"But we still can't forget another solution," Suzy pointed out, "That it might not be them at all. And that they could still be planning something against Rose while we're dealing with Scorpius'… condition."

Rose let out a heavy sigh, "My brain's seriously going to explode. I don't want to think about all of this anymore. If they want to attack me, let them do it, I don't care, I can defend myself." And like that, she could at least blow off steam.

Suzy looked at Lena, "She's losing it. We have to be careful."

"I said I'm ok. I can deal with this," Rose assured them.

xxxxx

"Sicilia," Professor Hazebrown greeted her, a hint of surprise in her voice, "I did not expect you so soon. I'm sorry but I haven't found anything that might help yet."

"I didn't come for that, I know it's too soon. I just wanted to ask your professional opinion on a hypothesis that came to my mind regarding this issue," she explained.

Professor Hazebrown frowned, but it looked like she knew where she was going, "And what kind of hypothesis would that be?"

"As you probably figured, the kind that I did not want to say out loud in front of Rose or the others." She also hoped that idea hadn't come to Rose's head yet, but she wouldn't check and risk making her think about it.

Professor Hazebrown sighed, "Of course you'd think about this possibility. You think too much for your own good, my dear Sicilia."

And Sicilia was now sure that what she had feared could happen could come true, "So, it is possible, isn't it? You said the longest case you knew of lasted about a month, but since this concoction, or whatever it may be, is hard to detect, there might have been longer cases that weren't recorded since no one could ever prove it was magic, and the worst case being–"

"That the effects never wore off, yes," the Professor finished in her place with a sigh. "But that's purely hypothetical, so let's not think about this for now."

"But there is still that risk," Sicilia pointed out.

Professor Hazebrown nodded slightly, "That's why I'm trying to find a solution in case this happened. I have connections all around the world, someone must have studied this subject further enough to help us. I will not have one of my students under such a spell without doing anything, you can trust me."

Sicilia smiled a little, "I know, and I am thankful for that. I will be going then."

She nodded, "I will inform you if I make any progress."

Sicilia nodded back, "Goodbye, Professor."

xxxxx

"Malicia, you look especially gorgeous today. Is it a new haircut?" Damon asked her in a flirting way.

Malicia Meyer looked a little taken aback, but still pleased, "It is, actually. But I'm surprised you noticed, I didn't cut much." She instinctively touched her blonde wavy hair, which went down just a little bit under her shoulders.

"I couldn't miss it, and it looks so much softer now," Damon let his fingers run through a strand of her hair and smirked seductively, "And it really is, too."

"If I'd known that would've made that effect on you, I would've cut it a long time ago," she smiled back, completely falling for his little seductive trick. But she still asked with a semi-suspicious look, "But I have to ask you, are you hunting just for sport right now, or are you a little hungry?"

Damon chuckled slightly at her straightforwardness. She was actually an interesting girl, never afraid of saying what she wanted. He considered the question, and whispered in her ear, "To be honest, I don't know myself."

Malicia crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him, amused, "Damon Stones not knowing what he wants, that's a first."

He shrugged, playing along, "What can I say, you unsettle me."

She took one step towards him, her light blue eyes gauging him from under due to her petite figure, "You didn't seem the least unsettled last time, though. What changed?"

"I realized only running and not catching anything was becoming boring. And you were the prey I most regretted letting go of," he told her without blinking.

She leaned back, and flipped her hair proudly, "Well, of course you'd regret it."

"So, what do you think about giving another chance to a man who made the mistake not to realize his chance?" He asked her sweetly.

She laughed, "I have to admit you're putting some effort in this." She paused for a few seconds before saying, "Alright, see you tomorrow after class."

Damon grinned, "Great! See you tomorrow then."

xxxxx

"You don't have to babysit me, you know. I'm not sick or anything," Scorpius told Sicilia, who was sitting on Damon's bed.

She put down her book and looked at him, "I'm not babysitting you. I'm staying here, reading a book, as usual," she stated.

"Oh please, you, Damon and Albus have been following me all day. What, are you afraid I yell in public that I hate Weasley or something?"

"More like that you don't yell it at her face," she pointed out honestly, "But right now I'm just staying here because I like it here."

"Why are you all on her side? I understand that Albus is, but aren't you and Damon supposed to be my best friends?"

"And we are," she assured him, "That's why we don't want you to do something you'll regret when the symptoms wear off." She had to believe they will.

Scorpius growled, "Enough of this. I feel like we've had the same conversation over and over again since this morning. And it's really exhausting, I have to say."

"Then, let's not talk about this. Don't talk about your hate for her, and we won't talk about the fact that you're like that because of magic."

"Seems like a good idea, so don't mention her name in front of me again and I'll be perfectly fine."

"Perfect. Then I'll keep reading quietly," Lena told him, opening back her book.

"You know, I just realized it was rare to see you here," he then remarked.

She frowned, "What do you mean? I'm always here."

"Not here in this room, here on Damon's bed," he clarified.

"Oh, of course. Because usually, Damon's on it," she said matter-of-factly.

"Where is he, anyway?"

"Probably flirting with Malicia Meyer," she answered with a shrug, not looking up from her book.

"I don't understand you at all."

"What is there to understand?" She asked him absentmindedly.

She heard him sigh, "Nothing. Forget it."

She stared at him for a second, and went back to reading her book, "Alright."

She clearly knew what was on his mind, but she'd rather not talk about that with him. Or with anyone, for that matter. She wasn't one to talk about that sort of things.

xxxxx

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Albus asked her one more time.

"Of course, we're going to be with everyone else anyway. And I'm not some fragile doll that'll break as soon as Scorpius slightly pushes her," Rose assured her.

"What if he smashes the doll on the ground?" Peter remarked.

Lena gave him a look, "Not helping."

"Stop worrying. I will be ok. I'm not going to have a death duel, I'll just hang out with our group of friends," she said.

Albus chuckled slightly, "Alright. Let's go then."

And Rose was sick of avoiding him and there was no way she'd stand doing that for a whole week. She never was the type to just sit and watch. They couldn't even avoid rumours anyway, many people already noticed something was going on, and asked her if she'd fought with Scorpius. And if people had asked him too, she knew he would be more straightforward with his answer.

So, after one day of him being infected by that bloody twisted potion, basically everyone knew he started hating her again out of nowhere. Some thought that he never stopped, and had just been playing with her all along. Others said she'd cheated on him, just like she'd cheated on Loann with him. All in all, you can imagine what a great reputation both of them had gained thanks to that.

She didn't even bother telling them the truth, since Scorpius would completely deny that story.

Anyway, she didn't care about that, and she'd talk to him, even if it meant getting insulted by him in public. She wouldn't hide anymore.

However, when she saw him sitting on the grass with Sicilia, she couldn't help taking a big breath before walking towards them.

"Hey!" Albus called them happily.

Sicilia looked at their direction, her gaze meeting Rose's, and she simply nodded hello. Scorpius' expression changed as soon as he saw Rose.

He made a face, "Why is she here?"

Rose spoke out before any of her friends could do it instead of her, "Like it or not, all our closest friends get along, so this was bound to happen." She sat next to Sicilia, and the others followed.

"Talking about all of our friends, where's Damon?" Lena asked.

"On a date," Scorpius replied, "If we can call it like that when it involves him."

Lena and Rose looked at Sicilia briefly, before Lena asked Scorpius, "With whom?"

"Our own personal self-loving sassy girl, Malicia Meyer. Can't blame him though, she is hot."

Albus and Peter nodded in appreciation.

Lena looked at them, deadpan, "Of course you'd agree."

Peter's eyes widened, and grinned in a little too forced way, "But of course she's nothing compared to you."

Lena sighed, "Lying so badly won't help. That girl, no matter how annoying she is, is indeed gorgeous."

"Unlike a certain ginger here who wouldn't win a beauty contest against a forest troll," Scorpius let out.

Rose only rolled her eyes. She'd heard that kind of comments about her looks from him for five whole years. The only thing that had changed was that she did not want to respond to his mean remarks anymore.

"So Scorpius," Albus said a little too enthusiastically, obviously trying to change of subjects, "Training already for your last Quidditch match of the year?"

"We are, indeed. I mean, we will win for sure, but we're aiming to score the most points possible. Don't think you've won the cup already," he smirked.

Albus smirked back, "I like that spirit."

"Well, I wouldn't be in such a position if someone would've been able to stay on her broom," he glanced angrily at Rose.

"Sure, because it's so easy not to fall when your broom is cursed and breaks in the middle of the game," Peter replied just as angrily. "Can't you at least remember how you felt when you rushed down to save her?"

Scorpius scoffed, "And here I thought you didn't like it when we were together. That's too bad you changed your mind, for once that we could've agreed on something. But I admit that's partly my fault, if only I hadn't saved her back then, it would've been easier to make you all understand."

Ok, that stung. So, that was the version of Scorpius who hated her from the bottom of his heart. A version of him that even wished he hadn't saved her. But she had to remember it wasn't him talking, but the _detesterium_.

Peter squinted, clenching his fists as he said through his teeth, "I was ok as long as she was happy. But now, she certainly isn't, just because you let someone trick you so easily."

"Peter," Rose intervened, "I'm a big girl, I can speak on my own. And don't blame him for what someone else did to him."

Peter sighed and looked at Scorpius, "Even with a hate potion, how could you possibly hate her when she's defending you like that?"

Scorpius shrugged nonchalantly, "I just do. I never liked clingy girls anyway." He then smirked scornfully at Rose, "The only thing that I could admit wasn't too bad about her before was that she was at least smart, but seeing how she doesn't get the clue right now, even that is gone."

Rose was fighting with herself not to respond to him. After all, her whole body was still used to react to his cutting remarks. But unlike him, she wasn't under some magic spell, and she did not want to say something she would regret later only because she was angry and frustrated.

Surprisingly Albus grabbed Rose's wrist and stood up, making her do the same, "Come on, let's go. It was a bad idea." He glared at Scorpius, "You're my friend, mate. But I will not just sit and watch my cousin and best friend having to hold everything back while you just say whatever you want. I get that it's not you, and that's why I'm not doing this only for her, but also for you."

He pulled her with him, leaving the others behind.

"Albus, I'm fine!" Rose told, but she knew she wasn't too convincing.

And she had the confirmation when he stopped and looked at her, "You are not. You're a wreck in the inside. I know you don't want to let it show, but we've been together since we were born, don't think I wouldn't be able to realize something as obvious as that." He held up his hand that was holding her wrist and showed it to her, "Your fist is clenched, and it's shaking. Even now that we're not with him anymore, you're still holding back so that you won't go back and snap in front of him. You can say anything you want to the others, but you can't lie to me, Rosie."

Before she knew it, Rose felt her checks getting wet. "What's the point?" She replied with a trembling voice, "It's not like it was him. It's magic, Al'. I can't do anything about it, even Professor Hazebrown said so," she smiled sarcastically, "All I can do is wait for Merlin knows how long – maybe a week, maybe a month, or maybe forever –," she wasn't an idiot, she'd thought of the possibility of cases with longer effects that were not registered as such, "and bear with it. And that's me bearing with it." She touched her cheeks and chuckled, "Guess I'm not doing too well, though."

Albus smiled sympathetically, "You're doing great considering everything. And you had to let it out at least once, it's not healthy to keep it all to yourself."

She smiled at him while wiping the last tears falling, "Thank you, Al'. For everything."

He shrugged nonchalantly, "It's nothing. Just help me with my Potions' presentation and we'll be even."

She chuckled and hit him slightly, "Idiot."

xxxxx

Later that evening, Rose and Lena joined Suzy and Sicilia at the library.

"Are you alright?" Sicilia asked Rose.

Rose nodded, "I just need to focus on something else than Scorpius hating me, like finding who did this to him," she then looked at Suzy, "So, still nothing on Lilith's and Meredith's side?"

She shook her head, "They didn't even mention Scorpius' or your names."

"Maybe they really don't have anything to do with this," Lena thought out loud.

"Then, who else could've done that? They are our only lead," Rose pointed out, already getting frustrated.

"They might be more careful and smart than we thought," Sicilia said, "That's why we're here, searching for every book that may mention something about the _detesterium_. And that's also why Damon's working on something in parallel."

"And of course he immediately agreed when we suggested that idea. That playboy, really," Lena sighed while shaking her head.

Sicilia had explained everything to him, and when he asked them how he could help, they suggested he should try to get some information out of Malicia as she was always stuck with Lilith.

"That's exactly because he's a playboy that we came with this idea," Suzy pointed out with a smile, "Let's just hope he doesn't forget that it's part of a mission."

"I trust him on that. He might always be joking around, but he knows when he has to be serious," Sicilia assured her.

Rose wondered how Sicilia was able to take it so well. Of course Damon was only seducing Malicia to get some information, but she should be at least a little bothered by the idea. Or she was really good at hiding it. It was hard to understand how that girl was really feeling.

"Let's just hope Malicia actually knows something that might help," Rose let out.

"And let's also hope she's not in league with them," Lena added.

"Well, if she is, she'll have even more information to give," Sicilia then said.

"Probably, but she'll be more cautious too," Rose pointed out.

"Which is why we got Damon to handle her. She'll let her guard down around him," Sicilia replied.

xxxxx

Malicia was fervently kissing Damon, and he lifted her up to make her sit on a table in the classroom.

"Seriously, how come we've never done that before?" She asked humorously as Damon started to kissing her neck.

"Don't know. Maybe because players don't usually get together," he said between two kisses.

She chuckled, "Or maybe because we were never free at the same time."

He copped her head in his hands and looked at her, shrugging, "Who knows, and who cares. Let's just appreciate the moment," he then smirked and kissed her again.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and smirked seductively, "I couldn't agree more."

He had to admit that it was the best mission he'd ever had to accomplish. And thinking about the mission, it was time to bring it up.

He stopped kissing her, took her hands and moved them away, while looking down and sighing heavily.

She frowned, "What's wrong?"

He looked away, showing his best sad facial expression, "I'm sorry. I guess I can't help but worry."

"Worry about what?" She asked him.

He looked at her again with a tight smile, "We're not really in that kind of relationship, are we? We never are, that's why we're players."

She put her hand on his cheek and smiled, "We broke one rule by getting together already, so it's not a big deal." She leaned back a bit and said, "Now tell me, what's ruining that handsome face with worrying features?"

He chuckled, and feigned hesitation, before letting out, "Fine. I'm worried about Scorpius."

She frowned again, but this time she looked both surprised and amused, "Really? Scorpius Malfoy is the reason you're not focussed on this," she underlined her last word by pointing her fingers at her.

He smiled guiltily, "Well, Scorpius, and Rose and everyone else. It's just that it's so weird and frustrating."

"Is it related to them not being together anymore?" She asked.

"It's not that they're not together anymore. It' just that Scorpius is… confused."

"Confused? He seems pretty sure to hate her to me," she pointed out.

"That's because we suspect that someone gave him some kind of potion," he told her.

Her eyes widened slightly, "Really? And do you have any idea of who could've possibly done that?"

Damon shook his head, "Not at all. That's why it's even more frustrating."

"If you have no lead whatsoever, what makes you think it really is a potion then?"

"Because he was really happy with her, then had headaches, and woke up the next day hating her out of nowhere. Seems pretty unnatural to me," he explained, gauging her reaction.

She tilted her head in agreement, "When you put it like that. Still, I know a lot of people aren't fans of the Scorose couple here, but to think that someone would actually magically drug Scorpius… That person has probably no sense of fear."

She sounded genuinely unaware of that story. Or she was a really good actress.

Damon nodded, "And there are not many people that don't fear either Scorpius or the Weasley-slash-Potter family. That should reduce the number of suspects."

"Or they are just complete idiots. There's this possibility too," Malicia pointed out. She then grinned, "This is fun, it's like we're detectives. I'll help you figure it out."

Damon was a little surprised, "You really want to help? Last time I checked you weren't really a fan of Rose either." He then smirked at her, "And did you really say 'Scorose' before?"

Malicia shrugged, "Yep, some people use that name for them. And it's just faster to say so I use it too. As for Rose, I'm just used to not like people from Gryffindor in general. But she's not too bad."

"Your best friend doesn't seem to think like that," Damon remarked, watching how she'd react to the mention of Lilith.

"Lil'? Yeah, she totally hates Rose's guts. But that doesn't mean I have to hate her too."

He smiled, "Great, because I wouldn't like to hang out with a suspect."

She chuckled, "Right, because all we do is hanging out. But then, does that mean that my Lil' is a suspect?"

Damon feigned to think about it, "Now that you say it like that, she doesn't fear anyone and she hates Rose, so…"

Malicia shook her head, "It's impossible. She's my best friend and I love her, but that's why I can say she certainly doesn't have the brain to come up with such a plan. People fear her because of her appearance, not because of her skills."

That's why we think she's working together with Meredith, Damon thought. But instead he said, "You're right. Anyway, since you offered your help, if you hear anything weird going around, could you tell me?"

She nodded, "Of course, I can even interrogate people if you want. I have my way to always get the answers I want you know." She then asked, "But why are you so concerned by it? I mean yes they're your friends, but couples break up all the time. I didn't take you as the type to worry about things like that."

"Because Scorpius is not in his right mind. I can't bear seeing him acting like that when I know it's only magic talking. Especially since Rose has also become my friend. And yes, I know it seems strange coming from me, but I do care about my friends." He realized he was revealing more than he wanted. That girl was good, he had to be careful.

She smiled at him in a sweet way, "It's not strange. I just never saw that side of you, that's all. It's cute, actually."

He chuckled, frowning, "That's the first time someone says they find me cute, you know."

She raised her eyebrows and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Oh don't worry, you're still incredibly handsome, too." She kissed him again.

Damon decided it was enough for today and that pushing too much would make her suspicious, so he went along with her and kissed her back.

Did he mention that it was the best mission he'd never had had?

xxxxx

The next day, Rose woke up determined. She'd cried enough yesterday, now was the time to get it together. Magic or not, she'll make Scorpius stop hating her at all costs. Just like he'd made her stop hating him.

She will not back down, no matter what.

That's why, when she saw him walking with Damon and Sicilia, she quickened her pace, and called him with a firm tone, "Scorpius!"

The three of them stopped and turned around. But they weren't the only ones. Some other students in the hallway were now watching her, probably wondering how their encounter would go. She ignored them and just continued to walk, to end up standing right in front of him.

Unsurprisingly, Scorpius gave her a disgusted look, "Stop calling me by my first name, hearing it from you repels me." He then added, "Or even better, don't even talk me at all."

She crossed her arms, challenging him, "I'm afraid you are going to be very unhappy then, since I don't intend to avoid you anymore. In fact, I will follow you around, and talk to you, until you come back to your senses."

"So I guess you'll pester me for the rest of your life," he spat.

"Scorp'…" She heard Damon let out in a pleading voice.

Rose hold her hand up, "It's fine. I was prepared to that much of animosity."

Scorpius scoffed, "Talk about a euphemism."

"Tell me then, how you really feel," she dared him.

"Rose, I'm not sure–" Damon started but Sicilia put her hand on his arm, shaking her head to tell him not to meddle. He reluctantly gave in.

Scorpius looked right into her eyes, and said without hesitation and with a lot of disdain, "I hate you so much that it's physical."

She gave him an unimpressed look, "Nothing new, here. We hated each other during five years, nothing you will tell me now will make me stop staying at your side."

He leaned in, smirking coldly, "Want to bet?"

She smirked back, "If you want, because I will not go back on my words."

He seemed to appreciate the idea, "You will definitely regret ever saying that sentence, but fine, I guess the game is on."

"Oh but it's not a game at all for me," she then smiled daringly and repeated what he'd told her once, "It's more like a fight."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21:**

"Can I kill you?" Scorpius threatened Damon as they were on their way to the potions' class.

"No, you can't," Damon casually replied, "Plus, you already punished me for making you Rose's partner, and it was a really unfair punishment since you liked her already at that time," his friend defended himself.

Scorpius shivered, "Don't remind me that, I feel sick every time I remember being with her."

Damon sighed, "Still saying that? It's been almost a week already. Haven't the effects diminished even a little?"

He shook his head, "I told you already it wasn't magic. How long will it take to make you all understand that?"

"Probably eternity, since it is not the truth," Rose's voice replied in Damon's place from the side. She was walking to class along with Albus, Peter and Lena. She grinned at Scorpius.

He just looked at Damon, "Can I kill _her_?"

Damon and Rose exchanged a brief look before looking back at Scorpius and both saying monotonously, "No, you can't."

Scorpius sighed and glared at Rose, "Come on, give me some space. We're going to be stuck to each other for the next hour, I deserve a few more minutes of peace."

She shrugged and made a not-sorry-at-all face, "I told you that I wouldn't leave you alone until you came back to your senses. Don't think I would give up after not even one day."

He growled out of frustration, and just quickened his pace.

But Rose quickly matched his pace, "You know, it's funny how a few weeks ago, you were the one pestering me like that. I guess that's karma."

"I did it because I knew you didn't hate me, and that it was even the exact opposite. You, on the other hand, are just masochistic," he argued.

She grinned, "So you do admit chasing me around. And I'm sorry to tell you, but it is exactly the same as before now, only that the roles are reversed. You don't really hate me, and you'll soon realize this."

He stopped and faced her, "That was before. I now loathe you, just like I should've always had loathed you." He started walking again.

She frowned, looking unaffected by his words, "You see, you're always saying 'I hate you' or 'I loathe you' or 'You make me want to puke' but the thing is, you never actually say _why_. Because there is no reason for you to hate me, because you actually love me and think you hate me merely because someone magically drugged you."

"You're delusional. I hate you for the same reasons that I've hated you since the first time we met. You're a stuck-up know-it-all controlling freak."

"And I hated you because you're an arrogant and insufferable prick, but I got over it," she quipped. "Plus, I'm not that much of a know-it-all, and I think you now know I'm not really stuck-up," she implied.

He frowned, putting on a disgusted face, "Stop making me remember that kind of things, seriously."

She smirked in victory, "Why? Afraid you'd like it?"

He scoffed, "Afraid I might vomit." He then seemed to realize something, "On second thoughts, that could make you go away."

She made a face, "Yew."

He was the one smirking now, "Do you still want to stay close to me?"

"Of course. It's not an image – as disturbing and disgusting as it might be – that would make me change my mind," she immediately retorted.

Damon, who was walking with the other three Gryffindor students not too far behind Rose and Scorpius, said, "Am I the only one who finds the situation funny?"

The others just stared at him, taken aback.

He simply shrugged, "What? Reminds me of their old bickering, only their roles are exchanged. It's kind of funny."

They just kept staring at him.

He sighed, "Fine. But still, it's better than before. I think Rose's starting to get to him."

"I have to agree. Maybe if he spends more time with her the effects will stop sooner," Lena said.

"I don't know about that, but this is still better than avoiding him," Albus remarked.

They arrived at the Potions classroom and went to sit on their assigned seats.

Scorpius growled at Rose, "Merlin I hate Damon almost as much as I hate you right now. Putting him with Belinda wasn't bad enough for a punishment."

"Hey, you may despise me, but at least I'm not all over you," she said, pointed her chin at Damon trying to escape from Belinda's grip. "I'm pretty sure you got back at him alright."

"No, you're right. You're just following me around all day, that's way better," he retorted sarcastically.

"I could do both," she pointed out teasingly. "Plus, you're totally exaggerating, it's far for being all day."

He made a face, "Life was so much simpler when you hated me."

"That, I agree. But what can we do? My feelings won't change overnight," she said half-jokingly. "I mean, here you are, calling me names and growling at me, and yet I still don't hate you. I'm a little impressed myself."

"I am also impressed at your incredible stupidity."

She sighed, shaking her head at him, mocking him, "If you're going to insult me, at least try to find something realistic." She'd figured out humour was her best shield against his spitefulness.

He frowned, "Since when you've also become awfully arrogant? One piece of advice: adding up more defaults on your already long list does not help your case."

"Says one of the most arrogant boys I know," she retorted.

He crossed his arms, "It's not arrogance but–"

"–but just stating facts," she ended the sentence in unison with him, smirking at him.

He didn't look pleased, and just looked away, "Anyway. Just leave me alone. You're a real bother."

She chuckled slightly at his reaction. And at her utmost surprise, she truly found it a bit amusing. She knew she shouldn't since the situation wasn't really prone to amusement, but she did. And at least she felt a little less awful than the other days.

xxxxx

"I saw Meredith's face during our Potions class. She was definitely not happy about seeing you still talking to Scorpius," Lena said while they were in the bathroom.

"I noticed too. She's usually really cautious, but she finally let her emotions show. I don't even know why we're investigating anymore. It's certain they're the ones who did it," Rose said while washing her hands.

Lena shrugged, "What good will it do to confront them about it now, and without any proof? They'll just laugh at her faces."

"I could just hex them," Rose suggested while brutalising the towel she was wiping her hands with. She looked unaffected in front of Scorpius, but still had to let off some steam when he wasn't around.

Lena gave her a look, "You know you're not like that."

Rose sighed dramatically, "You're right. I cannot just stoop to their level. Sucks to be nice sometimes."

Lena chuckled. "Yes, it does." She opened the door and they went out of the bathroom to go join the others, "Anyway, do you think you're breaking Scorpius' barriers already?" Lena asked Rose on their way to their next class.

Rose shook her head, smiling slightly, "Not yet, but I'm starting to think it might not be as hard as I thought it would be. I mean, sure he still completely despises me, but at least he's not violent, and I even think he's starting to get used to my presence."

Lena chuckled, "You're like Hagrid when he got Tyrell to like him."

Rose made a face, "Are you really comparing me and Scorpius' relationship to one between Hagrid and his _Kelpie_ friend?"

Lena seemed to think about it, and just nodded, "I guess I am."

"So you think my attempt to get my boyfriend to like me again after he's been magically tricked is the same as Hagrid trying to get close to a water demon?" She repeated to make sure.

"Well, it just really reminded me of a conversation we had had with him," Lena simply confirmed before trying to retrieve the situation, "But don't forget that Hagrid did succeed, so comparing your situation to his isn't that bad."

Rose just stared at her best friend for a few seconds, deadpan, "You're spending too much time with Peter. I think it's starting to affect your brain."

Lena's eyes widened exaggeratedly, "Merlin's pants, you're right. Do you think I should break up before I start to blow things up in class?"

"Nah, there's still hope you won't become like that. I guess you can still make out with him," she replied jokingly.

"Thank you so much for giving me your blessing," Lena replied in the same way.

After some time, Rose said, "By the way, what did Damon tell you?"

"That Malicia doesn't know anything. But she offered her help," Lena replied, looking a bit surprised and amused at the same time.

Rose frowned, "Malicia Meyer offered her help? Really?"

"Yep. She just loves playing detective apparently."

"And she's not mad Damon approached her only to get information?"

Lena shook her head, "Not sure she realized it. He made it so she thought she was the one bringing up the subject."

"So what, is he still playing the lover boy with her?" Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to give him that mission. It might be complicated to get out of it.

Lena shrugged, "I guess he is. I just hope he won't fall into his own trap, but since it's Damon we're talking about, I don't worry too much."

"You're right." Only Rose wasn't worried about Damon, but about Sicilia. Whatever she might say, there was no way she could completely be ok with that situation.

"Ah, here they are," Lena pointed her chin at their group of friends standing near the fountain.

When Scorpius noticed them, he growled and tried to leave the group. But Damon put his hands on his shoulders to stop him, and smirked, "Come on mate, don't be like this."

"It's ok," Rose called out as she approached them, "He doesn't have to stay."

Scorpius moved away from Damon, raising his eyebrows in victory. He then looked at Rose with a smirk, "I guess you finally decided to face the truth."

Rose watched him walk away from the others, and just as he was about to walk past her, she exclaimed to her friends with a smile, "See you later then." She turned around, and started to walk next to him, telling him teasingly, "I never said I'd keep you prisoner. But I did say I would stay by your side. So wherever you go, I go."

He growled once again, "Can you get any more insufferable?"

"Come on, admit it, whether you like or hate me, you're never bored when we're together," she grinned.

"I'd rather be bored to death than spending one more minute with you," he retorted coldly.

"And yet here you are. Only barking, but not biting," she pointed out.

He quickly moved in front of her, facing her with a threatening glint in his eyes, "Don't think I won't. I don't care about hurting you." He then smirked darkly – in a way it even made her shiver a little – as he leaned in a bit, "I'd actually like to do it, so don't push too hard."

Rose had already had that impression a few times during the past few days, but she clearly realized it now. She smirked slightly, "So, you really never hated me, even when we couldn't stand each other."

Scorpius frowned, taken aback, "How the hell did you come to that conclusion? You're even crazier than I thought."

"It's the way you looked at me. Your ice cold and threatening eyes. I actually _felt_ that you wanted to hurt me, because that's how much you hate me right now," she explained.

"Still not getting your point. That should prove the opposite of what you just said."

She smiled, "For a second, I was scared. And I'd never been scared of you before. Because you'd never looked at me like that before, even during our most serious fights. Even when you'd insult me, or when you'd try to intimidate me, or threaten me, your eyes never looked that way. Admit it, you've never hated me as much as you do now, because you've never hated me at all."

Scorpius froze for a second, confused. He then scowled, "The past doesn't matter. I hate you now."

She smirked, "Still thinking it's not because of magic?"

He frowned slightly, and Rose knew she was starting to get to him. His facial expression then changed back to angry again, "Whatever." He looked away, "I'm going to my dormitory now. And I won't let you follow me." He started to walk away.

"As if I needed your permission," Rose remarked cheekily as she joined him.

"You're not only an eyesore; you're a real pain in the arse. Worse than a virus."

"People often say I'm quite stubborn," she smiled.

"So much it's become pure madness. You just admitted I scared you, and that you know I really am able to hurt you. And yet you still are ok with being all alone with me."

"You won't hurt me," she said confidently, "Because even if you try, you won't succeed."

He snickered, "Don't get ahead of yourself, Weasley."

They were now in front of the Slytherin Dungeon. Scorpius just stopped and waited.

"What, did you forget your own house's password?" Rose joked.

He sighed, "No, I'm waiting for you to leave. Don't assume I'll just let you know my password."

She smirked, crossing her arms, "You know I can just wait here, right?"

He sighed, rubbing his temps, "You're one real pest."

She grinned at him, "I learned everything from you, you know." As he was rolling his eyes at her, getting more and more annoyed, she simply added, "But I'll leave you alone for now. We'll see each other at dinner anyway."

"Running out of patience already," he smirked in victory.

She simply smiled at him, looking right into his eyes as she said, "Viperinae." She saw his eyes widen a bit as the door opened. "I took you in there when you had that headache, don't you remember?" Before he could even reply, she went and gave him a quick peck on the lips, "My fee for leaving you alone."

And just as quickly, she turned around and walk away, putting her hand up without looking behind her, "See you at dinner!"

She was smiling on her way back to her friends. He'd looked almost disappointed that she actually left. It seemed like the effects of the potion were finally wearing off.

"What's with that crazy girl?" Scorpius growled as he entered his dormitory, holding his head. "Giving me a bloody headache again."

He definitely hated her, so why did he let her do that? As he remembered the feeling he got while she slightly kissed him, his head pounded like crazy.

Even his whole body was telling him it was wrong. He hated her. He wouldn't let her approach him again.

He decided to lie down for a bit and wait for the headache to stop while trying to sleep until dinner.

xxxxx

When Scorpius woke up, he was happy to notice his headache had stopped. He looked at the clock; it was time to go have dinner. He went to his common room, and saw Sicilia witting alone on the couch. Other Slytherins were here too, but he noticed that both Damon and Malicia weren't there. It probably wasn't a coincidence.

Sicilia glanced at him as he approached her, "Right on time for dinner. Did your stomach wake you up?"

He chuckled slightly, "Probably. Let's go."

She stood up and followed him outside.

"So, where's Damon?" He still asked.

"He met up with Malicia, said he'd join us directly at the Great Hall," she said in a neutral voice.

"It'd been a long time since he got a regular. What's he up to?"

"I'm actually starting to wonder about that too," she told him.

It seemed like she knew something he didn't, but he decided not to pry. As they were walking in the hallways, he was looking around.

"She's not coming," Sicilia suddenly informed him with a slight smile.

He was surprised for a second, and just chuckled, "As observant as ever. I thought she was supposed to follow me everywhere I went when I was free. It seems she's not as strong-willed as she claims to be."

"They had a Quidditch practice and will probably be a little late for dinner," she explained.

"So that's why she left before." He knew it was weird.

"Disappointed?" She smirked.

He scoffed, "As if. I simply realized that I could add cunningness to her already long list of defaults."

"You know, it seems like your plain hate towards her turned into fake hate to repress your feelings. The concoction's effects might finally be wearing off." Before he could complain about having this talk once again, she added, "All right, I won't say anything else."

Sometime later, they were eating dinner when Scorpius saw Rose coming in the Great Hall alongside with Albus, Lena and Crawford. Their eyes met as she smiled warmly at him.

And that pang in his head started again. When he noticed she was walking towards his table, he stood up and said to Sicilia, "Sorry, but I'm not hungry anymore. See you later." And he rushed towards the exit by walking on the other side of the table so that he wouldn't cross paths with her.

As he turned right in the hallway, he leaned against the wall for a second, hoping his headache would stop already.

He then heard her voice, "Where is he? That fast prick." He could imagine the endearing smile she probably had on her face while saying that.

He quickly shook off that thought, and decided it was better to move on before she could spot him. He sat somewhere in a hallway that wasn't on the way to either the Slytherin or the Gryffindor dormitories. He growled, angry that he couldn't even go to his own dormitory without thinking that she might just come in since she now knew the password. He couldn't wait until they changed it again.

"Well, well, Scorpius Malfoy sitting alone and brooding. What a peculiar sight," he heard someone tease him.

He lifted his head, and saw Lilith Graves smirking at him. "Shouldn't you be eating, like everyone else?"

She shrugged, "I was on my way, but saw you going in the opposite directions and got curious."

"You should know that one shouldn't bother me when I'm not in the mood, though. Curious or not."

She gave a faint smile while saying, "And you should know I learned not to give a crap about people's moods. Mostly thanks to you, actually. So, what happened?"

He stood up, realizing she wouldn't go away easily, and chuckled dryly as he was facing her, "You really think that I will confide something to you? I'm not like that to start with, and we're definitely not in that kind of relationship."

She leaned a bit towards him, looking up since she was smaller than him, and smirked, "Then, we should change the kind of relationship we have."

He slightly raised his eyebrow at her obvious attempt to flirt with him, "That's not like you to behave like that."

"And that's not like you to brood in the middle of a hallway. Guess it's the time for new things," she replied, leaned back a little and went on, "You know. I have my pride, and that's why my number one rule is to never date someone who likes me less than I like them. Of course, I never had any problems like that with my previous boyfriends since I never really liked them. I made that rule for only one person. And that's you, Scorpius."

Scorpius crossed his arms, "So you like me, I figured that much, but I was glad you never acted upon that. Why are you telling me that now?"

"Because before I didn't mind seeing you dating girls that you didn't care about, so I thought you just weren't capable of liking anyone seriously, and that I'd only embarrass myself if I tried to seriously go after you. But when I saw you being serious about Weasley, I realized I'd been wrong all along, and that you could be snatched away by someone else. I can't stand that thought, that's why I decided to be more… pro-active," she said with a seductive smile, as she took a few steps closer again, only this time their bodies were only a few millimetres away from each other.

"What about your rule?" He simply replied, not affected at all by her behaviour.

She shrugged, still smiling, "I decided it was worth the try. Before you went back to hating her for whatever obscure reason, you liked Weasley because she wasn't like the others. Well, I'm pretty peculiar myself, and you won't get bored of me like you got bored of those other girls."

He clenched his jaw, looking away, "Don't talk about that girl. I don't want to remember that I used to date her."

He felt her hand on his cheek, making him look at her. She approached her face from his, and when their mouths were only a few centimetres away, she whispered, "If you want, I'll make you completely forget her."

A vision of Rose's smiling face then appeared in his mind, and he felt a pang in his head once again. He was tired of having a headache. He'd never been interested in Lilith, but before he wouldn't have cared about liking her or not. And like that, he could forget her, and prove to her that insisting wouldn't change anything.

What did he have to lose anyway?

He closed the gap between their lips, and Lilith responded energetically. Her hands were swiftly going through his hair. She was a good kisser too, but why did it feel wrong? Why couldn't he appreciate it, even just a bit?

He broke the kiss, and looked up. His eyes widened when he saw Rose Weasley, standing only a few meters away from them, frozen while staring at them.

He started to feel strange again, and his headache was back.

Lilith frowned at his reaction, and looked behind her. She smirked, "Well, that's awkward."

Rose seemed to have come back to her senses, and if a look could kill, Lilith would've probably dropped dead in the second. "So you've finally decided to stop pretending, huh."

"Hey, drop that accusatory tone. I didn't do anything wrong. He already dumped you, get over it," she shrugged while crossing her arms, obviously loving it.

Rose lost it. She rushed towards Lilith, gripping one of her arm, making her uncross them, and spat angrily, "Because _you_ fed him with some kind of hate concoction, you cunning witch!"

Lilith looked a bit afraid, but also confused, "What the hell are you talking about? I didn't feed him anything."

"Don't try to deny it, I already knew everything. And the fact that you just tried to take advantage of this situation that you created yourself is the proof that I'm right."

Lilith was back to her usual self, staring right into Rose's eyes and smirking arrogantly at her, "You're right, I took advantage of the situation. But I never created it. If he hates you now, it must be your own fault, don't try to put the blame on me, that's just pathetic."

Rose frowned slightly, saying with a low voice, "But it _has_ to be you. Chace heard you, too… I don't understand…"

Scorpius, who'd been fighting his headache during the whole thing, finally moved and put himself between Lilith and Rose, grasped her wrist and pulled it forcefully away from Lilith's arm, glowering at her, "She told you it wasn't her. You know very well she wouldn't be able to lie that well. Face the truth, you're just being paranoid here. So leave her alone. And leave _me_ alone while you're at it, you're nothing but a nuisance to me. You know what? That's actually not right. You're not even a nuisance, you're _nothing_ to me. Stop convincing yourself we still have something to do with each other already."

She merely stared at him, and took a step back, totally lost, "What's with that situation?"

And before he knew what was happening, Scorpius felt someone slap him really hard, but what surprised him the most was that the person who did that was Sicilia. And she'd never looked that angry at him as she was right now. Or scratch that, she'd never looked that angry, period.

"Magic or not, how could you act like that after what you've just done?" she said icily.

He frowned. She saw him too? He finally took notice of his surroundings. Lena was now standing next to Rose, her hand on Rose's shoulders in a comforting way. Damon and Malicia were standing a little farther away, a surprised look on both their faces, probably taken aback by Sicilia's behaviour.

Once his surprise was gone, it was his turn to feel angry, "Why are you always taking her side lately anyway?"

"I am and I will always be on your side, that's why I can't stand it anymore, you bloody idiot!" She snapped. "So get a grip and become yourself again already, I'm begging you! Because I really can't look at the current you anymore."

She then walked towards Rose and put a hand on her back, "Come on, let's go, Rose." She glanced one time at Scorpius while sighing as the three of them were walking away.

Damon gave them a slight nod as they passed by him, but didn't move.

Malicia walked towards Lilith, shaking her head, an amused expression on her face, "You're sure bad at timing, Lil'."

Lilith simply shrugged at her, "You know me, I always like a little drama. But I admit that was a bit too much, even for me." She then looked at Scorpius, "I didn't change my mind though, so let me know when you've figured all that out."

The two of them then left, going the opposite way from the one Sicilia and the others took.

Scorpius just stood there, and eventually looked at Damon. The latter put his hands up, "I stayed because you didn't seem too well. But don't think I'm ok with what you just did. Even the player that I am doesn't support that kind of behaviour, but I'll just put that on magic."

Scorpius sighed, "I'm getting real tired of all of this. I just wanted my headache to stop, you know. But now it's even worse."

Damon walked towards him, also sighing as he put his arm around Scorpius' shoulders, "That's probably your body reacting to the profound guilt you're feeling but trying to suppress."

Scorpius shook his head, "It's not that. I've had it since…" Since he couldn't get the vision of Rose's smiling face after she kissed his cheek out of his head, but he couldn't bring himself to say that out loud. Especially since the headache got worse merely by thinking about this.

"Wow, you're really not fine. But how the hell did you come to the conclusion that kissing Lilith Graves would help you at all?"

He shrugged, "Seemed logical a few minutes ago."

Damon shook his head, "I had no doubt about this, but now even you should realize there's something wrong with your mind right now."

"I don't know about my mind, but my head's definitely not fine," he said, frowning at the pain that wouldn't go away.

"Well, it all started with a headache, maybe that's how it'll end. So if we're lucky, you'll soon be back to normal," Damon said with a grin, trying to be optimistic.

Scorpius just stared at him, "Or maybe having everyone forcing that idea in my head made it pop from the inside. I'll just go to the Hospital wing, ask for something to relieve the pain."

"Alright, I'll go with you. There isn't anything else better to do here anyway."

"What a good friend you are," Scorpius said with a hint of sarcasm.

He grinned, "The best you can find." He sighed theatrically, "And yet, you wanted to kill me not later than this morning. You ungrateful bloke."

"The best, indeed," Scorpius shook his head at his friend's antics.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22:**

Lena and Sicilia led Rose to the closest girls' bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her expression was blank, which was a sad contrast compared to the real mess that was her mind right now. She leaned her back on the wall next to her, held her right wrist, and let her body slide down along the wall, allowing her legs to rest while dropping herself on the floor.

She looked at her wrist. It was a little red. He'd gripped it so tightly, "It hurts."

That's when she felt tears falling down. "It really hurts." She wasn't talking about her wrist anymore.

Lena sat next to her, put her hand on her shoulder, and whispered softly, "You have to remember it wasn't him back there."

"But what if it's not magic?" Rose finally voiced the fear she'd been denying the whole time. "After all, Lilith didn't do anything even though we were so sure it was her. We just might be wrong about the whole thing."

"We might've been wrong about the culprit's identity, but that doesn't mean there is no culprit. Or do you really think that Scorpius can just hate you that much from what day to another, and without any reason at all?" Lena argued.

She buried her head in her knees and merely shook her head in response. She knew that didn't make sense, and yet she couldn't help thinking like that now.

She felt hands on her knees, and heard Sicilia's voice say, "And judging by his expression when he realized he'd hurt you, I can assure you one thing: no matter how much his feelings have been suppressed by magic, it can't completely erase them. He is still there somewhere, Rose. And he's about to come back, I just feel it."

She raised her head and looked at Sicilia, who was squatting in front of her, "I know. Or more like, I should know. But I guess I'm weaker than I thought," she chuckled dryly.

Lena shook her head, "How can you think that? You're everything but weak. It's normal to temporarily lose it after that kind of scene. If it were me, I would've snapped long before that. I mean, even _Sicilia_ lost it."

Rose wiped her tears and managed to let out a chuckle as she told Sicilia, "You really shocked me."

"You shocked everyone," Lena added.

Sicilia stood up again, and shrugged, "Even I have my limits. I just couldn't bear the sight of my best friend hurting the one he truly has feelings for like that. Especially when that girl is also one of my closest friends."

Rose couldn't help smiling at that. She also stood up and hugged Sicilia, "I love you too, Sicilia."

Lena joined in and hugged her two friends, "And I love both of you."

Sicilia broke the hug, but was still smiling slightly, "Ok, enough of emotion display for today."

Lena crossed her arms and shook her head at her, teasing her, "Afraid people realize you're actually warm-hearted?"

Sicilia shook her head while yawning, "Not particularly, even though it might be inconvenient if too many people start to feel too comfortable around me. But I said that mainly because my outburst from earlier tired me out."

Rose raised her eyebrow at her, amused, "You're really one of a kind."

"And surprisingly very lazy," Lena added jokingly.

Sicilia shrugged nonchalantly, "I can admit that."

Lena then felt her stomach gurgling. "Ah right. We still haven't eaten." She then looked at Rose, silently asking if she was ok to go.

Rose smiled slightly, "Let me wash my face, and we can go back to the Great Hall."

xxxxx

"Try taking this, it should release your pain," Madam Pomfrey gave a little flask to Scorpius, who was lying on a bed, his head still aching. "Since you didn't eat, I'll come with some food." She glared at Damon before leaving, "Behave while I'm gone."

Damon squinted as he watched Madam Pomfrey leave the room, "Why does she always seem suspicious of me like that?"

Scorpius shrugged as he gulped the little potion. He then asked, "So, how come all of you were here before?"

It took a few seconds for Damon to understand what he was talking about, and he then answered, "Oh, right. I was on my way to dinner with Malicia, when I saw Rose wander around. She told me she was looking for you. When Malicia told her Lilith might be around the same area Rose was looking for you, Rose hurried there. Then Sicilia and Lena appeared and looked worried. They were looking for Rose and you, so we just showed them the way and went along."

Scorpius nodded slowly, processing the information, but then frowned, "Why would she hurry knowing Lilith might be around?"

Damon gave him a look, "Really, not the slightest idea?"

Her sad face appeared in his mind, and his head ached even more for a second. "That bloody potion doesn't even work!" He exclaimed. When it passed, he sighed and replied to Damon, "I got that. But how would she know something like that might happen?" He then remembered how she accused Lilith of being the one who'd given him that so-called hate potion. "And why did she think Lilith had anything to do with me hating her?"

Damon let out a sigh, "Well, I guess it doesn't change anything to tell you this now. We were told that she was the one behind Rose's broom incident during the match, and that she was up to something else since that didn't work. We figured making you hate Rose was that something else. Seems like we were wrong, though."

"What about the broom, was it really her?" He didn't know why he cared, but he felt like he needed to know.

Damon shrugged, "I'm not sure anymore. After all, the source isn't quite trustworthy, and looking at how we were wrong about the potion, I'd rather not jump to conclusions anymore."

"What source?"

"Chace Hannigan."

Scorpius felt the urge to laugh, "Seriously? Hannigan comes to warn Rose about a so-called danger, and she believes him? Why the heck does everyone think she's the smartest girl of our year, again?"

"To be exact, he told Suzy so that he wouldn't feel responsible if something happened, and she then told Rose. Of course we had our doubts because it was Hannigan, but knowing Lilith, it did seem possible. And why would he lie about this anyway?"

"I don't know. Because he was the one behind it all along maybe?" Scorpius took a guess.

"Nah," Damon said, "Firstly, it was girls that were seen for the broom incident. Secondly, I don't think Hannigan would be able to come up with such a plan. And finally, even if he was smart enough, he would be far too scared of Rose and her family, or you finding out. That guy's traumatized to the point he had to go tell Suzy instead of going directly to Rose."

"What if this was also part of the act? You never know," Scorpius remarked, before adding, "Hypothetically, of course. Because I still believe no one fed me anything."

Damon frowned, pondering the question, but shook his head in the end, "That's impossible."

Scorpius shrugged, "If you say so. I don't really care about finding that culprit anyway, it doesn't concern me."

"Of course it concerns you!" Damon retorted.

Scorpius replied calmly, "I was not the victim of some mean prank. So whoever is the culprit, they would only be guilty of hexing Weasley's broom. Thus, it does not concern me." And his head started to hurt like hell again.

Damon just stared at him, shaking his head in a disappointed manner, "Your body is clearly telling you something different. Seriously mate, even Sicilia got angry like she never did before. _Sicilia_. Don't you think it's a sign you should just come back to your bloody senses?"

Scorpius grunted, "You know what? I'd actually like to! Just to stop those oh so annoying and dreadfully repetitive arguments. But I don't feel anything other than hatred for that girl. What can I do, huh?" Another bang in his head. He closed his eyes and ordered his friend, "Just leave me alone for now. Talking about those things doing all the contrary of helping me."

"All right," he heard Damon say after a few seconds, "I'll come back later, probably."

xxxxx

Damon was on his way to the Great Hall when he saw Malicia walking towards him, a sexy smile on her face as she said, "Hey there, handsome."

Damon smiled back at her, "Not that I am unhappy, but what are you doing here?"

She shrugged, still walking slowly towards him, her hands in her back, "Nothing much, just taking a walk."

He raised his eyebrows, not believing her, "Shouldn't you be eating right now?"

She shook her head, "I just accompanied Lil' there, but I was feeling more curious than hungry."

He smirked, "So you really were looking for me."

She tilted her head and pouted her mouth as if she was thinking, "Well, you, Scorpius, Rose… In short, anyone that could satisfy my curiosity."

He nodded slowly, showing he did not believe her at all, and put his hands around her waist as she was finally right in front of him, "I see. What a diligent detective you'd make."

She put her arms around his neck, "I know, right." She pulled him into a light kiss. "But I don't mind the bonus I get from this."

She pulled him into another kiss, and he quickly responded, but then broke the kiss, pulling her away, "Wait, I have something to tell you."

She raised her eyebrow at him, smiling slightly, "You seem serious, should I be afraid?"

Why was he having a hard time saying this to her? He'd never found it hard to break up with someone. And he knew it was bound to happen, because he only used her to find out more about Lilith.

He looked straight at her, "Look. After spending some time with you, I feel that you deserve to know the truth. And you can also slap me, I probably deserve it."

She frowned, "Ok, now I'm genuinely curious."

It was true. They were just fooling around, so why did he feel afraid of telling her? He sighed, "I know, but that does not change anything. You're a human being, and actually quite a decent one…"

She chuckled, "Well thanks for realizing that."

He went on, "and yet I still played with you and used you to get to your best friend."

"Oh, that's what you meant," she laughed, "You really thought I didn't know about your intentions? Well, unless when you say 'get to my best friend' you mean something more romantic than 'try to see if she's plotting against my friends,' I did know what was happening."

He frowned, shocked, "You did?"

She nodded, "Please, I do have a normal functioning brain. Too preoccupied by Scorpius hating Rose to make out with me? Yeah, right. More like an act to bring up the subject in a supposedly subtle manner. FYI, not so subtle," she smirked. "Rose yelling at Lil' before was merely the confirmation I needed to be one hundred per cent sure."

"But then, why did you play along?"

She shrugged, smiling, "I told you, I like to play detective. And I wanted to know if Lil' had really something to do with this. I'm glad she doesn't. Plus, as a player, I know we play a game and don't take it too seriously. And you are quite a good co-player." She said with a suggestive look before adding, "I'm happy you felt that I deserved to know the truth, though."

Damon was impressed, "You're smarter than you look."

"Well, I know people. How else I would be able to have anyone I want if I didn't?"

He laughed, "I've always liked that about you. Your straightforwardness and how you assume everything you do."

She smiled, "I can tell the same thing about you. We're pretty similar, you know."

He tilted his head, agreeing, "That's probably why we get along so well."

She took a step forward, looking seductively at him, "And maybe we should keep getting along like this."

He smirked back at her, "I definitely wouldn't mind that. But you really do not resent me? Or you're trying to get back at me?" He half-joked.

"I'm not that sneaky, don't worry," she grinned.

He played along, "Hm, I don't know. Now you're making me even more worried."

She hit his arm, "Shouldn't I be the one with doubts here? You already used me once after all."

He sighed theatrically, "How the heck do I always end up hanging out with smart girls?"

"I don't know, because you're not that smart yourself," she teased him.

"Come on, I am smart."

"Ok, just not good at finding excuses and lying," she teased before adding on second thoughts, "Which I guess is a good point."

"I am good at lying to the average girl. How should I have known you were smarter than the average?"

She pouted her lips and squinted a bit, "I don't know if I should take it as a compliment or an insult."

"A compliment, obviously," he grinned.

She rolled her eyes, smiling, "Obviously. Anyway, let's go eat, I'm hungry." She wrapped her arm around his, "And on the way, you can tell me what happened with Scorpius, and why he is in the hospital wing."

"Oh, his head is just telling him he's being tricked," Damon explained.

"I remarked he was having a really bad headache before. What's the relation with him being tricked?"

"The fact that his head hurts every time he thinks about Rose and tries to convince himself he hates her. Or at least, that's my conclusion."

She nodded slowly, "Ok, you might be somewhat smart."

"Well, thank you for the vote of confidence," he said ironically.

She grinned, "You're welcome."

xxxxx

"What's going on with you, Rose? You actually need to eat and not just stare at the food for it to get in your stomach, you do know that right?" Peter teased.

Rose lifted her head, just to see Lena hit Peter with her elbow, mouthing to him to read the mood already. She then went back to staring at her food, simply moving the pieces of meat with her fork, still not eating.

She thought it would be better if she stayed with her friends, but she just didn't have any appetite.

"Seriously, what did I miss?" She heard Peter ask Lena not as discreetly as he probably wanted.

"I'll explain it to you later. Just shut up for now," Lena replied.

"You know, Peter is kind of right, you should eat at least a bit," Albus, who was sitting next to her, told her quietly.

She sighed, "I know. But I don't feel like I can swallow anything right now." She then pushed her chair backwards, and stood up, "Actually, I think I'll just go back to my room and lay down for a bit. I'm suddenly feeling tired. See you later."

Lena also stood up, "Let me go with you."

Rose smiled at her best friend, and shook her head, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I just need to be alone. Plus, you said you were hungry, so just eat without worrying about me."

Lena stared at her for a few seconds before reluctantly sitting down, "Ok. See you in a bit then."

She walked slowly towards the exit, feeling exhausted. She caught eyes of Lilith Graves, laughing shamelessly with her fellow Slytherins. Her eyes wandered a few chairs farther, feeling a pang in her chest as she saw that Scorpius' usual seat was unoccupied. She'd heard from Damon that he was in the hospital wing, but that it wasn't serious. She also heard his theory. She wanted to believe it, too.

But she felt too anxious about seeing him right now. She was afraid she'd break. Once again.

She didn't want to see his cold eyes, to hear his harsh words, or to feel his violent grip.

She couldn't. Not right now.

And yet, she mysteriously found herself a few minutes later in front of the room in which he should be. It seemed her body had moved on its own while she was deep in her thoughts.

She just stood there, staring at the big door in front of her, pondering.

She'd promised herself she wouldn't let him see her crying because of him, but right now she wasn't sure she could handle it. She knew it wasn't him talking. It wasn't him looking at her with so much despite, and it wasn't him who hurt her without caring about it. It wasn't him who'd been kissing Lilith Graves. Not the real him. But she couldn't help remembering that scene, and that feeling of betrayal she got from it. Even though she wished she didn't.

She shook her head, trying to cast away those negative thoughts. She wouldn't let whoever did that to Scorpius win like that. Ever.

She was smart enough not to fall into that sort of petty tricks.

She sighed. Smart, yes, but also very stubborn. So stubborn that instead of doing the wise thing to do, which would be waiting for her mind to be less of a tremendous mess that it was right now before facing him, she let her worrying about him get the best of her. And now, here she was, wondering whether to open that bloody door or not.

She knew she should just turn away and go to her bedroom, but she just couldn't. She had to see him, whatever the consequences that might follow.

And that's why she finally opened the door and entered the room slowly.

He didn't seem to have heard her coming in. His concentration was probably on the dinner set in front of him. Rose was still far from him, but could already see his hand holding the fork shaking. He was munching, frowning painfully. He then snapped, throwing the fork on the plate, and putting the whole set away.

"Bloody headaches!" He shouted out of frustration, his now free right hand on his forehead.

Rose started walking towards him almost subconsciously, saying only one word that came out like a whisper, "Scorpius."

He finally looked at her, before grunting in pain once again. "Haven't you had enough of me already?" He growled, his eyes closed.

"Guess I haven't," she simply shrugged as she stood next to his bed.

He glared at her, "Well, I have. My head is already killing me like that, but when you're around, it's hell. So, please scram."

Instead of his words, his worn out face was what affected her. "You seem even worse than what Damon described," she said, worried, "Since when has it been going on?"

He looked away and retorted harshly, "Why do you even care?"

She crossed her arms, and looked at him in a bored manner, "Do you really need to ask?"

He simply sighed, and said with a calmer voice, "I've been the worst to you, you should resent me. Not worry about me."

"I promised you that I wouldn't leave your side, no matter what," she replied with the confidence she didn't even know she still had, "Now, tell me. Since when?"

He hesitated, and finally let out, "Since this afternoon."

"But you were fine when I left you," she thought out loud.

He merely looked away, not saying anything.

"You know exactly what triggered those headaches," she realized. She put her hands on his shoulders, pressing him to answer, "Scorpius, since when exactly did they start again?"

"I. Don't. Know," he snapped, slamming her arms away. "They're just headaches," he added in a lower tone, and it sounded as if he was trying to convince himself.

"They're not and you know that!" She put her hands on his face, making him look at her as she said softly, "Just tell me, so I can help you. I cannot see you hurt like that anymore."

She saw his eyes widen in shock for a second, and as he tried to go back to a neutral expression while moving her hands away, his eyes widened again, but this time it was in pain. Before she could do anything, he seemed to be all right again. He then glared at her as he snapped her hands away, "You. You are the reason of my suffering." He started to rant, as if he'd finally lost it, "Every time you're near me, my head hurts so bad. You smile at me, my head hurts. Even when you're not here, I think about you, and my head hurts. I just wanted to make it stop. I kissed another girl to forget about you, and after that all that was on my mind is the look of utter shock and sadness you had on your face when you saw us, and my head hurts even more. Now you come here, and even though you're supposed to be bloody mad at me, instead you look genuinely worried, and my head starts to–"

She cut him off by suddenly kissing him before even she realized it. She felt him respond for a brief moment before breaking the kiss.

"I'm supposed to hate you," he blurted out, confused.

She smiled slightly, "But you don't, do you?" She then kissed him again, more gently this time.

He didn't react for a few second, before finally deepening the kiss, and it went from gentle to passionate quite rapidly. He straightened up and pulled her towards him, and she somehow ended sitting on his lap.

They finally broke the kiss, both of them a little out of breath. Their foreheads were resting against each other.

"Not at all," he finally answered.

And she couldn't feel any happier. "You're finally back."

He smiled slightly, "I've always been there."

She hit him playfully on the arm, "You know what I mean."

He leaned back, a now serious expression on his face, "I know. I am sorry. Everything I put you through…" He couldn't even look at her in the eyes, obviously angry at himself.

She cupped his head into her hands, making him look at her, and said softly, "It wasn't your fault. I hope you know that."

He let out a sigh, "I know. It wasn't really me, but it still was. And to think I made you having that sort of expression on your face…" He clenched his fist, "I really want to punch myself right now."

"Don't worry, if you really need to get punched, you probably won't have to do to yourself," she joked. She then moved away from his lap, and pushed him slightly on the side so that she could lie next to him. They both had their backs leaning on the wall behind them and the legs stretched in front of them. She put her head on his shoulder, finally able to relax, "Let's just be happy the magic used on you doesn't work anymore. And tomorrow, we can worry about who did that, so that we can punch _them _instead. Or worse."

He chuckled, "And to think that everyone thinks you're the nicest girl in the world when you're actually violent like that."

"I never understood why, though. I am not particularly nice, and definitely not to people who piss me off."

"That, I know," he remarked jokingly.

"When I think about it, you're probably the one who saw the most of me."

"Still not quite enough, though," he said suggestively.

She kicked him slightly, smiling, "I didn't mean literally, you prick." She then became a little more serious again, "I mean… You were always the one that was able to make me act without thinking, that was able to go under my skin and make me so angry that I didn't care about anyone else, or anyone else's opinion. And if it weren't for you, I would've probably never slapped Hannigan. I usually solve things with my wits rather than my fists, you know."

"How am I responsible for you slapping Hannigan? Sure, I made you angry in the first place but he's the one who–"

"Insulted you," she finished in his place.

She felt him straighten up, and turned his head. He seemed quite surprised, but quickly smirked, "I thought it was definitely not because of me. That's what you told him, right?"

"That's what I told myself. For a long time. Until I admitted my feelings for you to myself, that is." She leaned back, crossing her arms, "You really _are_ the one who brings out my violent self, after all."

"I knew it," he said arrogantly, "You did like me since a long time ago."

She rolled her eyes, smiling, "Of course that's what you'd retain from what I just said."

Instead of answering, he just pulled her closer to him. And she didn't bother speaking anymore, preferring to just enjoy this moment that was almost too good to be true.

xxxxx

Peter rubbed his stomach, making a face, "Seriously Lena, you made me eat so quickly I'm getting indigestion now."

Lena glanced at him, not slowing her pace, "You'll get better soon. And I didn't make you do anything. I said I could go alone."

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I just ate in peace while you were running off to check on your best friend, huh?"

She smiled, "I forget how thoughtful you can be sometimes."

He looked away, feeling suddenly somewhat shy, "That's just normal."

She merely grinned.

They suddenly heard someone call them. As they turned around, they saw Professor Hazebrown walking towards them.

"Hello, Professor," they both greeted her.

"Hi. I was actually looking for Rose or Sicilia, but I'm glad I ran into you."

"What's going on?" Lena asked.

xxxxx

Sicilia was eating on her own at the Slytherin table, discreetly observing Lilith from afar since Malicia had left her a while ago, probably to go see Damon again. They were most likely together right now. But that was not a problem she needed to think about. Her concern right now was Lilith Graves.

That's why, when Lilith finished eating and left the Great Hall alone, Sicilia followed her. Once they were far enough of the room, and that Sicilia didn't see anyone around them, she called her in order to make her presence known, "Lilith, could you please wait for me?"

Lilith Graves stopped and turned around, taken aback, "How peculiar. First, you slap Scorpius, and now you actually raise your voice to call me out. Aren't you tired of acting out of character like that?"

Sicilia, who had walked towards Lilith in the meantime, crossed her arms and smirked, "I am. But what else can I do? The situation obliges me to act like this."

Lilith simply shrugged, "If you say so. Anyway, I believe you're not here to lecture me about the scene from before, so there must be something else that you want from me."

That girl was as haughty as always. But it was good, as it meant she was too self-absorbed to bother lying convincingly. Sicilia smiled slightly, "You didn't have anything to do with Scorpius hating Rose, that you confirmed it by your behaviour earlier. But that does not mean our information was wrong. So I will simply ask you straight ahead, did you play a role in Rose's broom incident?"

Lilith acted – or, more like tried to act – shocked and offended, "Are you accusing me of something right now? I am getting tired of this charade."

"What Scorpius said before was spot on. You never were good at lying. Now that I confirmed this, I also came to think that you may still want to hurt Rose, is that still the case?"

Lilith sighed, obviously giving up on trying to fool Sicilia, "All right. I might have thought about hexing her, but I just didn't see the point anymore after Scorpius broke up with her. Plus, even though I don't feel bad and will never apologize for what happened before, I realize I might've hurt her more like this than with whatever spell I would've tried on her, so I am satisfied."

"Look at you, being so honest in an instant. Telling me all this, aren't you ashamed at all?"

"My hate towards Weasley has never been a secret. My violent behaviour neither. It's not like I did hex her in the end, so I don't see what's wrong in telling you all this."

"You're right, as long as you don't do anything, you'll be fine."

Lilith raised her eyebrow, "Why does it strangely sound like a threat?"

"Because it is one," she immediately answered. "If you harm Rose or any of my friends, that's when you'll really see me act out of character. But you won't be so happy about that."

Unsurprisingly, Lilith merely smiled at that, "I'm honoured that the great and wise Sicilia Grande would consider me important enough to be threatened. After all, you've always been the one person that wouldn't care whether I was here or not. I was just one student among hundreds here for you."

"And now, you've become the one who almost got one of my close friend badly hurt, and indirectly caused my best friend to be sent to the hospital wing. Congratulations."

Lilith sighed, "I really never thought he would do that kind of thing for _Rose Weasley_." She got lost in her thoughts for a second, and then shook her head slightly, "Plus, I didn't actually hex her broom you know. Meredith did all the work. I was just keeping watch."

As Sicilia thought, Meredith was the brain of their duo.

Lilith went on, "To be honest, I was surprised when she told me she liked Scorpius. I mean, I knew she did during our first year, but after that it didn't seem like that at all. She's quite the good actress. It was a shock to see her not being all shy and annoyingly kind. But I do like her better now."

A shock? Sicilia's eyes widened, "Wait, didn't she gradually change under your influence? Why would you be shocked?"

Lilith snickered, "See? Even you were fooled by her. Well, it is true that she acted like always when she first came to me. But the more Rose and Scorpius looked closer to each other, the less she'd pay attention to her image and I saw a whole different side of her. There was unmistakably anger, resentment and hate in her eyes. Believe me, I'm the best at recognizing those kinds of feelings."

Sicilia was processing the information. Did that mean they'd been wrong since the beginning, all of them? That, instead of Lilith manipulating Meredith into helping her, it was the very contrary? If that was the case, that meant that she was a lot smarter than she'd let people know. Smart enough to come up with a plan far more complicated than just hexing a broom. Smart enough to act on her own, and use Lilith as bait. Smart enough to fool everyone, her sidekick included.

"How could I have not thought about that?" Sicilia blurted out in an angry whisper.

"Thought about what?" Lilith asked.

Sicilia looked briefly at her, "I have to go now, if you'll excuse me…" She started to walk away without waiting for an answer. She paused and said one last thing before going, "Do not forget our conversation. I won't let you off as nicely if you do."

She vaguely heard Lilith answer in an annoyed tone, "All right. Merlin, I understood the first time already."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23:**

Rose woke up, a smile on her face as she realized she'd fallen asleep in Scorpius' arms. She lifted her head as she felt him also move, "Hi," she greeted him.

"Hi," he replied back in a half-asleep voice and with a smile, stretching his arms a bit. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good," she smirked, "And you?"

"Wonderful," he smiled. "Not a single sign of a headache anymore, either. I guess you are the most effective cure ever."

She laughed, and straightened up so that her face would be right in front of his, and asked seductively, "Sure you don't need any more treatment?"

He looked at her lips while saying, "Now that you say it, I feel like it may come back if we don't do anything."

She nodded, amused, "Of course, better safe than sorry, right?" She then kissed him.

A little later, they heard someone clear their throat. "Are we interrupting something, maybe?"

They broke their kiss, Rose went down of the bed and looked behind them to see Lena and Peter standing there.

"What do you think?" Scorpius replied to Lena, showing that he wasn't too happy to have been interrupted.

"Well, we came here to help, but I guess you found the solution on your own," Lena told them, not without a little smirk.

"I wish we'd known that before coming here," Peter complained.

"You mean you found the cure?" Rose asked for a confirmation, ignoring her silly friend.

Lena nodded, "We bumped into Professor Hazebrown yesterday, and apparently the cure to the _detesterium_ is the saliva of the person they are compelled to hate. I can just imagine how your saliva came into contact with Scorpius' body while we weren't here."

Peter feigned gagging, "Saying it like that is too strange, Lena. Just say kissing, like a normal person."

"I merely quoted Professor Hazebrown."

"That's what I was saying, she's not a normal person."

"So that's why my kiss on Scorpius' cheek triggered his headaches. It was a too little amount of saliva to cure him, but as it still had been in contact with him it still weakened the concoction's effects." Rose realized.

"For once, I have to agree with Crawford, let's not use those kinds of expressions," Scorpius commented. He hoped out of the bed, and put his arm around Rose's shoulders, "Plus, as long as I'm fine again, I don't care how it happened."

"But in case you care because of whom it happened, I finally have the answer," Sicilia stated as she entered the room. "I actually know since yesterday, but I had the feeling it was best not to bother you then." She then looked at Scorpius, "Welcome back, by the way."

"You really know who did this?" Rose exclaimed, "Who is it?"

"It's quite simple, we got the right group of suspects, but not the right culprit. We thought Lilith was using Meredith, while it was the other way around."

Lena frowned, "Meredith? Using Lilith? She could be that manipulative?"

Sicilia nodded, "She fooled everyone, Lilith included. I felt quite angry at myself when I realized she completely fooled me, too. She was the one who came with the idea of hexing Rose's broom, and she made the hate concoction on her own while knowing we would actually suspect Lilith and not the kind and shy little Meredith."

"But Meredith doesn't like me," Scorpius pointed out.

"Well, apparently she does. She was so jealous of Rose she hexed her broom," Lena argued.

Scorpius shook his head, "That doesn't make sense. I know when girls are interested in me, and she is not. She doesn't even acknowledge my presence most of the time. She hasn't since a very long time."

"That can be the attitude of a girl who doesn't want to show her affection towards someone," Lena remarked. "And apparently, she's a master of hiding her true thoughts."

"Are you sure it's her?" Rose asked Sicilia.

"I would say sure at ninety-eight percent. As long as she doesn't confess, we can't be sure. But the mere fact that she was the one coming to Lilith is enough to suspect her. Plus, Lilith said Meredith changed drastically of temper when she'd stop paying attention around Lilith. Meaning she is a good actress anyway, so it's one more reason to be careful of her."

Rose nodded, "Then, we'll have to get a confession out of her and end this once and for all. But if she's as smart as you say, we'll have to come up with a good plan. And we still don't even know how the hell she managed to give the concoction to Scorpius."

"Actually, Professor Hazebrown told us that detesterium is actually given by being injected into some food. So Scorpius may not have drunk anything strange, but just eaten something spiked with detesterium. It doesn't even have any special flavour or anything. So it could've been in his dinner, or even in a little snack or fruit. That's why he didn't notice it," Lena explained.

"What if I simply try to talk to her?" Scorpius suggested, surprising everyone.

"We just told you she's extremely good at lying, and you want to simply ask her?" Lena frowned.

He shrugged, "Why not? Once put in a corner, she might just tell everything."

"Or she will keep on lying and be even more careful later on," Rose argued.

"There's another possibility," Sicilia started.

xxxxx

Meredith was slightly pissed off. Scorpius seemed to have gone back to normal earlier than she thought he would have. But at least, it was after Lilith had the time to unknowingly play her part. So now, she was only relying on the aftermath of all this that would hopefully result in Scorpius and Weasley breaking up anyway. But between them being disgustingly lovey-dovey and their friends on their side, it wouldn't be easy. She had to do something, and quickly.

Using Lilith again was out of question, they would know something was off, and she couldn't afford being caught now. She had to rely on rumours, and she had to spread them without anyone knowing it was her who instigated them.

Ah, being so smart and thinking so much could be tiring sometimes. Anyway, time to act.

She headed towards the girls' restroom of the floor, and couldn't believe her luck when she saw Minzy and Violetta, aka two of the biggest gossips of their year, going in. She waited a little and followed them inside. She locked the door behind her with a silent spell, then pointed her wand towards her mouth and whispered, "_Vox Cambio_" while thinking of a more high-pitched voice than hers.

She started to feign speaking to someone else, while she knew Minzy and Violetta were listening, "Did you hear? Scorpius Malfoy kissed Lilith Graves right in front of Rose Weasley just yesterday, and apparently she was devastated. Don't you find it strange that they are acting as if nothing happened today?"

She magically changed her voice again, to another that was not hers, "Tell me about it! I don't understand how she can go back to him even though he was so hateful towards her recently. It's obvious he's playing with her." She sighed, "It's making me so sad, Rose Weasley used to be my role model, but now she just acts like a doll some popular boy can play with. I'm sure he'll get bored of her again and toss her aside like a smelly sock later."

She changed her voice back to the high-pitched one, "I really don't understand how she let herself become so pitiful. If I were her, I would've never gone back to a prick who treated me like that. Scorpius Malfoy or not."

One last change to wrap everything up. "And to say she was supposed to hate him with all her might… Just having him seduce her for a few weeks turned her into such a disappointment. She's the current laughing stock of all the school, that's so sad." She sighed dramatically, and concluded, "Anyway, let's go, we'll be late for class."

She unlocked the door and left the room. She waited not too far from the door, until Minzy and Violetta came out. That didn't take long. Those two gossips must have just stayed in their toilets to hear the whole conversation and came probably out right after they heard her – or them, as they thought – leave.

"I can't believe Malfoy did that to Rose," Minzy exclaimed.

"We all forgot what a prick he was behind that handsome face of his," Violetta added.

"Just wait until we see him…"

The two girls went on while heading to their next class. Meredith smirked, that should do the trick.

xxxxx

Later, in the Gryffindor girls' dormitory, Minzy and Violetta decided to talk to Rose.

"Girl, what are you doing?" Minzy asked bluntly.

Rose frowned, not following her, "Right now? Preparing to go to bed..."

Minzy rolled her eyes, "I meant with Scorpius Malfoy. Why are you back together with him?"

"Well, because he's cured from the hate concoction someone gave him and made him because a hateful prick towards me," she said matter-of-factly.

Minzy and Violetta blinked before exchanging a look, and Violetta said, "That… Actually makes sense?"

Minzy scratched her forehead, "I guess…" She looked back at Rose, "But how do you know there was a hate concoction involved?"

Rose sighed, "Because he had a sudden big headache, and then hated me, and then had a sudden big headache again, and was back to normal. Oh and the time he stopped hating me coincides perfectly with the time he got the cure to the said hate concoction."

"Well, I guess we cannot say anything then…" Violetta gave in.

"Wait. Aren't you the bit mad at him for kissing another girl in front of you? And for calling you names? And for everything else?" Minzy insisted.

"All those happened while he was under the effects of the concoction, so no, I'm not mad. But he is really mad at him for that, so if you could not mention it in front of him, I would be thankful."

Violetta and Minzy exchanged another look, before answering together, "All right."

"By the way, how did you know that story? I know that rumours travel fast here, but there wasn't that many people around when it happened." Was it Lilith who'd been gloating about this in public? Not that it would be a shock.

"We heard girls talking in the bathroom this afternoon about the… Lilith Graves incident. By the voices, I would say it was Priscilla Keynes and Lory Harper from Ravenclaw," Minzy explained.

Rose chuckled, "You really could recognize them only by their voice?"

Minzy nodded proudly, "Duh, you need to know where the information comes from before spreading it. We don't do half-assed gossiping you know."

Violetta agreed, "And every time you're in the ladies room, you need to be prepared in case you hear something."

Rose looked weirdly at them, amused, "I didn't know you took this so seriously. But I won't complain, because this helps me. Thanks."

"You're welcome," they both grinned.

xxxxx

"I swear it wasn't us. We didn't even know about that incident until yesterday night," Priscilla Keynes assured Rose. The latter decided to go ask herself the two seventh years.

"Well, they definitely heard you two."

Lory shrugged, "They heard wrong. How can they be sure when they didn't even see the girls who were talking?"

"Apparently, knowing voices of students here is their specialty," Rose explained, not so convinced herself anymore.

Surprisingly, Lory gasped, "Is your source Minzy and Violetta?"

"How did you know?"

"Well, because knowing everyone's voices _is_ their specialty," she replied matter-of-factly.

Rose blinked, "That's really a thing?"

Lory nodded, "They're really good at this. But that doesn't make sense then, how could they mistake those voices for ours?"

"You tell me," Rose replied.

"Since you don't seem to believe us, let's ask the one who actually told us about it," Priscilla suddenly suggested. And before Rose could say anything, Priscilla was already calling out Jenny Lionheart, who was sitting on a bench not too far from them.

She joined them, "Yes, what's going on?"

"You were the one who told us about Scorpius Malfoy and Lilith Graves, right?"

Jenny glanced at Rose, hesitating, "Yes…" She then faced Rose and added hurriedly, "But I didn't say anything bad about you, I swear."

"Don't worry, I don't care about this," Rose assured her, "Just tell me when you told them."

"I heard about it during dinner, so after that I think, why?"

"See," Priscilla's high-pitched voice highlighted.

"I believed you in the first place, you know," Rose shrugged, before saying to Jenny, "Don't worry about it. Thanks anyway."

Jenny just nodded before going back to her friends.

"Sorry we can't help you," Lory still said.

"Oh but you still helped me, don't worry," Rose smiled. They'd confirmed Minzy and Violetta didn't hear wrong, so that meant the voices were the right ones, just not the people whom they came from.

xxxxx

During class, Rose started to write magic notes to Lena. She wrote a line on her own notebook, which disappeared once she was finished. _Was not Priscilla and Lory. Probably a voice changing spell. _

Lena's response appeared on Rose's notebook a few seconds later. _Must've been her._

Rose was about to answer, but a second line appeared. _So what now?_

_We act as if we didn't know. And see how we can use that._

xxxxx

Later in the afternoon, Scorpius and Rose were walking together in the hallways towards the Great Hall to have dinner, and of course half of the students were talking about them in their usual oh-so-not-subtle way. It had been like that all day.

And Scorpius was not too happy about this. "Do you all really have nothing else to do?" He finally shouted, startling everyone, and even scaring a few of them.

Rose put her hand on his arm, and told him calmly, "Come on, we're used to this kind of things. Let them be, today it's us, tomorrow it will be something else."

He sighed, "I know. But how am I supposed to act normal when I'm constantly remembered of how badly I treated you."

"Stop it. I already told you I don't care about that, it wasn't you anyway. It was magic."

He moved his arm away from her grasp, getting angry, "But it was still me, those memories, those feelings of hate I had, they're still mine, and _I_ care. It's driving me crazy."

Now, they were sure that absolutely everyone present was staring at them, not even trying to be discreet anymore. Rose internally rolled her eyes at their behaviour. She then told Scorpius, "Let's have that conversation somewhere else. It's not like you to make a scene like that. People are talking enough about us already."

"I don't care about them," he shouted, not holding back anymore. "They'll talk anyway, at least they'll have the real version here."

"What if _I_ don't want to make a scene?" She retorted in a pleading voice. "It's already hard enough for me to justify to everyone why I am still with you after what you've done, don't give them any more reasons to be against us."

"Maybe you should just stop justifying yourself, and listen to them. All I do is making your life complicated," he let out, looking away from her.

Rose's eyes widened, "Are you seriously telling me that right now?"

"Does it look like I'm joking?" He asked rhetorically.

Her arms dropped, "So what, you're breaking up with me?"

He looked at her again, and she could see he was truly hurt by his own words as he uttered them, "I guess I am. We both know it's the best choice to make."

She chuckled dryly, "I don't. I actually think it's the worst thing to do. But what can I do, I feel like I'm the only one fighting for us these days. I thought it would finally be ok, but I was wrong." She let a few tears fall down her cheek, "Don't expect me to come back when you've finally come to terms with yourself, though. You let go off me now, you'll never be able catch me again. I can promise you that."

A ghost of a smile appeared on his face, "I wasn't expecting anything else from you. Goodbye, Rose." He then simply turned around and left, leaving her standing here, in the middle of the halfway, staring at his back.

It hurt. It really did. She didn't know it would hurt that much.

She finally wept the few tears that had fallen down on her cheeks, and looked around. Everyone was agape. She glared at them, "Entertained already?"

Unsurprisingly, they all looked away, talking to each other as if nothing happened or walking away.

She snickered and whispered to herself, "_Now_ you guys feel ashamed." She then walked away too, towards the direction she was heading previously.

When she arrived in the Great Hall, she joined her friends. She let herself drop on the chair, trying to show no emotion.

"Where's Scorpius?" Albus asked.

"Don't know, and don't care," she retorted icily, her arms crossed.

"What happened now?" Peter sounded a little fed up with those ups and downs.

"Oh nothing. He just dumped me in front of everyone," she answered.

"What?" Peter shouted in a little too over-the-top manner. Well, he was Peter.

Lena slapped his arm with the back of her hand, and glared at him.

"Sorry," he merely said, looking down.

Rose let out a snicker, "Not as much as I am." She then took her fork and started to put some food in her plate, "Anyway, let's not talk about it, ok?"

The others just nodded, not saying a thing.

Rose looked up, and laid her eyes on Meredith Holloway. And by the look of her happy face, she'd learned the news. That was it. She suddenly got up, and announced, "I'm not hungry after all. I'll see you later." And she left, feeling everyone's eyes on her. An especially familiar feeling she got these days.

xxxxx

Meredith felt deliciously full on her way back to the dormitories. And not because of the dinner she just had. Her plan worked even faster than she thought it would.

She let out a chuckle. Their relationship must not have been as strong as everyone thought it was. She was almost disappointed. But the mere vision of Rose being heartbroken was enough to make her feel satisfied again. Merlin she despised that girl. Though not as much as…

Something suddenly hit her left arm and stopped her train of thought. She looked down, it was a ball of paper. She frowned, "What the…" She then looked up on her left, and frowned, "Scorpius Malfoy?"

He merely stared at her, before pointing his wand at her. She took a step back. Did he know?

"Accio ball of paper," he said. The ball flew into his hand, he dropped it, and kicked it with quite some strength.

She blinked, "Are you really venting your anger on that poor little piece of paper, and on innocent passers-by along the way, too?"

"Accio ball of paper," he repeated. While kicking it another time, he let out, "Why do you even care?"

She caught the ball after it bounced off the wall near her. "Because I am an innocent passer-by."

He turned around so that he was facing her, and extended his arm as he told her condescendingly, "Then pass by."

As if. It was her chance to see _his_ reaction. She didn't even ask for it, but she would never let it slip.

She crossed her arms, still holding the crumpled piece of paper, "Not feeling like it."

He sighed, "Look, I'm not in the mood right now. So can't you do as you've always done, and ignore my presence?"

"Is it because of little Miss Perfect?" She simply asked. Would he snap at the mention of her?

He did not disappoint. His facial expression immediately turned from blasé to furious in one second, "Do not dare to use that tone when you're talking about her."

She put her hands up, in a surrendering manner, "Sorry." She held back a smile as she added while looking away, "But isn't that the reason you broke up with her?" She looked at him again, "That you used that kind of tone when talking about her. Or to her, even." He didn't say anything, except looking down and clenching his fists. So, she kept on, walking around a bit, "Well, you did broke her heart. Once, when you kissed another girl. And twice, when you broke up with her even though she'd forgiven you," she leaned on the wall behind her and smirked, "I guess you two can never go back together now."

"Don't you sound a little too happy about this?" He finally replied.

That question sort of took her by surprise. It was not her intention to show her happiness, on the contrary. But it seemed like she'd got carried away. Oh well, not like it mattered now.

He took a few steps forward, and was now standing right in front of her, "You know. I didn't want to believe them when they said it was you who tricked me. Because I know very well that you do not like me, not even a tiny bit. But seeing your reaction right now, I'm beginning to wonder."

So, they finally made the connection, huh. She smirked again, "I don't know what you're talking about."

He slammed his right hand on the wall, right next to her head, which made her jump a little. "Stop your little charade already. And here I thought you would be a better actress than that, but it's written all over your face that you're lying, I'm kind of disappointed."

She quickly recovered from the little scare, and laughed dryly, "Right, because you know me _so_ well."

"I never said I did, because I don't. I just know how to discern lies from the truth," he retorted. "But what I don't understand is why you would do that."

"Why?" She repeated, finding it amusing that he couldn't even think of a reason. "Don't you have the smallest clue?"

"Well, you definitely don't like me. So why are you so upset by the idea of Rose and I being together?" He asked calmly.

She straightened up a bit, going for an offensive posture instead of a defensive one, and looked straight into his eyes, "Because I can't stand seeing you being truly happy. And with that little Miss Perfect ginger head, on top of that." She then smiled proudly, "Well, maybe you weren't as happy as I thought you were, seeing that a little concoction was enough to break you two up."

He simply stared at her, sighed, moved back, and… Smirked.

She frowned, "Why do you look so satisfied?"

"Because you just admitted being the one behind that little scheme," he revealed.

Her eyes widened, and suddenly she heard some noise coming from the sides. On one side, Rose Weasley and Lena Reynolds were walking towards them, and on the other side, there were Sicilia Grande and Damon Stones.

She turned and glared at Scorpius, realizing what was happening, "You tricked me." She looked around, and repeated it more loudly, "You all tricked me."

"You should feel honoured, we did put some effort to pull that off," Rose mocked.

"I have to say, I did not know you had those acting skills in you," Lena told Rose, before looking at Scorpius, "I wasn't that surprised about you, though."

Scorpius grinned, apparently not taking it the bad way, "Thanks."

So their break up was part of the plan. She should've known. She was supposed to be smarter than that. She was supposed to be smarter than them.

Lena chuckled, shaking her head, "Of course you would take that as a compliment."

Were they seriously joking around right in front of her, after she'd revealed something so big?

"Feeling a bit left out?" She jumped slightly because of Sicilia Grande who'd just whispered that into her hear. Since when was she that close, anyway?

Before she could answer, Sicilia went on, "Don't worry, that won't last long."

Just as she made that statement, the four others all switched their attention towards Meredith.

"So, you know it was me. What are you going to do now? Report me?" She spoke out first.

Rose shook her head, "Nope, though it was very tempting since I almost got seriously injured, and Scorpius actually ended up in the hospital wing because of you. Twice." She sighed to calm down her anger, and added, "We just want to be sure you'll never bother anyone of us anymore."

Meredith scoffed while rolling her eyes. She couldn't believe it.

"What's with that attitude?" Lena asked angrily, "Don't you realize we're saving your arse even though you do not deserve it at all?"

"That's exactly what makes me laugh," Meredith started to explain, and looked at Rose, "You really stay true to yourself. So kind and merciful," she dropped her fake smile, "that it is nauseating."

Rose crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows, "And you sure are different when your mask is off. Have you always been so bitter? Did I even do anything to you to make you hate me so much?"

"There was a time when I was the kind and shy Meredith everyone think I still am," she glanced at Scorpius, "But that was before I learned that being kind and trusting people would lead to nothing but disappointment and betrayal." She sighed while looked back at Rose, "As for the reason why I hate you, it is just because you're you, little Miss Perfect that everyone either adores or envies."

"So, I get that you envy her," Damon commented.

Meredith scoffed, "As if. I despise everything about her. I actually want to be the complete opposite of her and her whole family."

"Is that why you never went back to your original hair colour?" Sicilia asked.

"Of course you would be the one connecting the dots," she told her. "Though it took you more than five years for that."

Sicilia shrugged, "At that time I just guessed you were tired of being compared to the Weasleys."

"So, since the beginning, it was because of Rose and not Scorpius?" Damon Stones guessed.

"Oh, I despise Rose all right. But I hate Scorpius with all my heart. It is totally because of him," she replied.

Damon frowned, "But why? I've never even seen you around Scorpius. What made you hate him so much?" He then looked at his best friend, "Do you know why?"

Scorpius sighed, "I have an idea. That's why I told you it was impossible that she did that because she was in love with me."

Meredith smirked at him, "At least you know." She addressed to the others, "But you obviously don't. So let me tell you a story."

xxxxx

* * *

xxxxx

So, did some of you figure out it was Meredith before it was revealed (so before the end of the chapter 22)? I'm wondering if my plot twist was actually one or not haha.

Also, now that the story's quite advanced, I was also wondering, who are your favourite characters, and the ones you like the least?

And once again, thank you for reading, following and reviewing my story!


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